9/11 Remembrance
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the lives of nearly 3,000 people were lost in an act of terrorism that forever changed the world we live in.
Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four aircraft shortly after take-off on that bright, sunny September morning 16 years ago. Less than an hour later, the first two of the jetliners had crashed into the World Trade Center towers. Thirty minutes later, the third plane crashed into the Pentagon while the fourth airplane crashed into a field outside of Shanksville, Penn.
Sixteen years later, the families and friends of those who perished still grieve. For the remainder of the United States and the majority of the civilized world, 9/11 became a moment in time seared into memory.
Monday, Sept. 11 marks the anniversary of perhaps the most brutal terrorist attack ever carried out. Take time to pause for just a moment and reflect. Remember the sense of fear that gripped the country initially but also remember the sense of unity and oneness felt by the American people.
In the last two weeks, the ability to pull together in order to overcome tragedy in the wake of Hurricane Harvey has been evidenced on a daily basis. For those who were too young to remember 9/11 or for those who have simply forgot, the spirit of togetherness shown after Harvey’s destruction could be multiplied by 20 and it wouldn’t touch the patriotism, or the oneness displayed by the American people in the aftermath of 9/11.
Sadly, just as quick as Americans began to pull together 16 years ago, they began to pull apart. On Monday, if just for a moment, remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 and remember what it’s like to be a part of the United States of America.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
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