The World Trade Center under construction through photos, 1966-1979

Factual claims about life, death, and crime in the towers

• The article’s claims about “17 babies born” and “19 murders” in the towers are questioned; one commenter suggests the births figure may be confused with babies born to widows of 9/11 victims.
• Commenters could not find solid evidence for either number; terrorism deaths (1993 bombing, 9/11) are clearly distinct.
• One additional documented murder is noted: a contractor killed in the North Tower parking lot in 1990 in a mafia-related hit, highlighting security weaknesses at the time.

Radio Row, urban renewal, and “commercial biodiversity”

• The destruction of Radio Row for the WTC is framed as an example of erasing messy, small-scale, electronics markets in favor of monumental financial architecture.
• Several participants lament the broader loss of “commercial biodiversity” and supplier ecosystems, comparing it to consolidation in autos and tech skills development.
• Others argue the land was simply too valuable for low-density markets; critics respond that eminent domain and forced lowball buyouts show “heads-we-win-tails-you-lose” capitalism rather than pure market forces.
• There’s debate over what constitutes “efficient use of real estate” and whether that mainly means serving wealthy interests.

Architecture, safety, and engineering

• Commenters recall the towers’ overwhelming external presence but often describe interiors as dated, cramped, and with narrow windows.
• One thread claims the WTC was exempted from stricter fire egress codes: it allegedly had only three lightly protected stairwells instead of the multiple fireproof shafts that would otherwise have been required.
• Another commenter argues more robust stairwells might have allowed significantly more survivors above the impact zone, citing documented escapes via a partially collapsed stairwell.
• There is mention of original structural concepts (corner pillars vs open floor plans) and construction challenges (crane reliability, abandoned automated welding), but no consensus that design compromises “caused” the collapse.

Symbolism, 9/11, and perceived US decline

• Many see the towers as symbols of late-20th-century American power; some believe their destruction marked (or revealed) the beginning of US and Western decline.
• Others insist the real damage came from the political response: wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, civil-liberties erosion, and loss of global goodwill.
• Several argue that the terrorists “achieved their aims” by provoking overreaction, draining resources, and darkening societal mood; some go as far as claiming “the terrorists won.”
• There is disagreement on the role of defense spending in economic decline, with one commenter asserting it wasn’t a major macro factor.

Politics, counterfactuals, and the Middle East

• Threads speculate how a different US administration (e.g., Gore instead of Bush) might have handled pre-attack intelligence and the post-attack response, though most acknowledge this is unknowable.
• A contentious subthread portrays the Middle East as locked into inevitable nuclear conflict and religious fanaticism; others push back, criticizing this as destructionist and overly deterministic.
• Some highlight that bin Laden’s stated motivations included US support for Israel and oppression of Muslims, and argue US behavior post-9/11 aligned with his strategic aims.

Rebuilding, memorialization, and skyline aesthetics

• Multiple commenters wish the towers had been rebuilt essentially as they were, seeing that as a gesture of resilience; others note this would have left little room for a large memorial.
• Some regard the Freedom Tower and memorial pools as embodying brokenness and a “wound that never heals.”
• Aesthetic opinions diverge: some find the original twin slabs overpowering and prefer the new tower’s integration into the skyline; others feel the old silhouette symbolized a more optimistic era.

Personal memories and emotional impact

• Many share vivid memories of visiting or seeing the towers—from childhood awe at their scale to missed chances to go to the observation deck.
• People describe strong, lingering emotions even decades later, including anger, sadness, and a sense that 9/11 permanently ended a perceived “post-history” optimism of the 1990s.
• Non-Americans note the shock’s global reach; some say it shaped their view of the US, freedom, and security.

Media, footage, and cultural references

• Commenters recommend films like Man on Wire and The Walk as powerful tributes that reframe the towers from trauma toward transcendence.
• The Naudet documentary following firefighters on 9/11 is highlighted, along with curiosity about any high-resolution film footage from that day.
• Numerous eerie pre-9/11 cultural depictions of attacks on the towers (TV episodes, album covers, novels, video games) are listed—seen as coincidences driven by the towers’ symbolic status rather than evidence of conspiracy.

Conspiracy theories and skepticism

• A few comments allude to fringe views: claims that the complex’s leaseholder “coordinated” the attack or questions about explosives planted during construction.
• Other participants dismiss these notions with sarcasm and point back to documented earlier bombing attempts and well-known terrorist motivations.