Often times when we think about September 11, 2001, we think of the 2,977 innocent people who lost their lives and the many loved ones they left behind to mourn their deaths. However, the attacks of September 11th changed the lives of billions of people the world over. When the terrorist attacks of September 11th occurred, it was more than just the victims and their families who suffered, more than just Americans, but people the whole world over.
Before 9/11 America stood tall as an impenetrable force, protected by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, a large and skilled military, and some of the world’s best intelligence gatherers. The attacks on 9/11 shook the very foundation of the belief that we were untouchable. Viewing the responses from people all over the world 10 years later, and the genuine looks of horror and disbelief, helped me to realized that these attacks weren’t just attacks on Americans in America, but an attack on freedom and democracy all over the world. It was an attack against any non-Muslim extremist. It was an attack against anyone and any country that dared to stand in the way of the beliefs of this small group of people. So while the attacks may have been on American soil it was an attack against the entire free world.
On September 11, 2001 I was a senior in high school. I remember that day vividly as if it were last year. I along with a few classmates, were preparing to head to Miami Dade College, which was at that time Miami Dade Community College, to take a class. Before we left we got news that an airplane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. We rushed to get a glimpse of the scene on television and when I saw it the first thought that rushed to my head was that this was no accident. I knew from the size of the hole in tower 1, that it wasn’t a prop plane flown by a novice pilot by accident into the side of a building, but a deliberate attack. Despite my initial thoughts, I in no way had any inkling of what still lay ahead.
We got on our bus to head to the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade Community College, which was located downtown, and what awaited us when we arrived was surreal. Imagine a zombie movie after most of the people have been turned into zombies and they show a view of the streets, completely devoid of people before the zombie army marches around the corner. Downtown Miami was the scene of a zombie movie before the zombie army began to march. The feeling was unreal.
My classmates and I looked around, looking for people, not knowing that en route to our class that the entire downtown area had been evacuated, fearful that the area could be subjected to attacks as well. We got back on our bus and headed back to school. When we arrived there was a frenzy by parents to take their kids out of school, out of what appeared to be harm’s way. Afterwards, we all went home, went our separate ways and the rest of the evening was a blur as I sat in front of the television trying to gather as much information as possible about what happened, why it happened, and what was being done to prevent it from happening again.
What happened was a series of plane hijackings, which resulted into the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers 1 and 2; a crash at the Pentagon; and before the last plane could crash into its intended target, a crash into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The last plane was derailed thanks to some of the passengers aboard. In total, 2,977 people lost their lives that day, 411 of which were emergency response personnel.
Life as we know it changed tremendously after that day. After that day, we no longer walked around with the same sense of security that we once did. After that day, we no longer looked at Middle Eastern, Arab or Muslim people in the same light, lumping them together with the cowardly terrorists who committed those heinous attacks. After that day, we no longer had this air of invincibility. The September 11th attacks not only took away the lives of nearly 3,000 victims in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, but our freedom as well.
To gain it back we launched a war against terror, terrorists, and any country harboring them. It was clear that if you were not for us, you were against us. And to aid a terrorist was to be against America and freedom.
It’s 10 years later and we must remember the lessons learned from that fateful day. It’s 10 years later and we must continue to remain vigilant against terrorists across the globe, because they remain vigilant in pursuit of their goal to undermine democracy and freedom. It’s 10 years later but we must never forget those who lost their lives going about their daily routine, those who lost their lives trying to help others, and the legacy they leave behind. It’s 10 years later and we’re 10 years older, 10 years stronger, 10 years wiser and still as committed to freedom as we were then as we are now. Thanks for reading and until next time Stay Up and Be Blessed!
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