I can't remember Monday, Sept. 10, 2001. I can't remember when I have not cried five times in one day. I can't remember what it is like not to have a broken heart.
My brothers and sisters, otherwise known as Americans, have been murdered in an attack against a country that I felt was indomitable. If this is a war against terrorism, the United States has already won.
While sharing a program on Thursday night with a fellow student at the vigil held by The University of Memphis, I stared into the other faces that came to pray and remember those who died in the nonsensical act. Christians, Muslims and Jews joined together as the leaders of each religion said a prayer or read scripture. Among the patriotic gatherers there stood a middle-aged woman holding an infant, an elderly woman who had seen war before and a college freshman who was as new to the U of M as she was to the fear and insecurity that could be seen on her face. Four generations were there together — different faiths, economic, social and ethnic backgrounds — but there was no difference that night because they were all a part of one sisterhood of America.
I feel a new day has arrived in the United States, and it involves something no terrorist will ever be able to take away from us — our freedom from the same. Any man or woman is accepted and equal, no matter race, creed or color, which makes the United States a great place to live but a hard place to control. We have a right to bear arms and we have the freedom to travel anywhere we please. But at what cost will these become death traps? Our country is grounded on freedom of speech and equality, and no one can take this away from us.
As my face was glued to the television for four days, I cried over and over for the families searching for their loved ones. Each story was worse, from the man who was going to propose to his girlfriend and had just purchased a ring, to the C.E.O. who lost 700 employees. I am furious, hurt and scared. I want to kill someone, yet I do not want to be charged with the same act of violence that this terrorist carried out on us. The only thing I can do is put trust in the president, military and my fellow Americans. I hope they can place the same trust in me.
A week after the attack I must sit in my class and learn about things that seem to have no substance considering the events that took place. Every time I think of something that annoys me or get mad at another driver on the way to work I feel sick that I am thinking of something so trivial when lives have been ended and thousands of people are missing. We must get back to a state of normalcy, but it is quite hard.
We have shown and will show again that America is the strongest of all countries. So I invite you, as you already have shown you can, to remain strong and confident in our nation of all nations. We too will see a brighter day.
