By JOHN SLAGG
Contributing Writer
Published September 7, 2011
A decade has gone by and we are now approaching the anniversary of one of America’s most devastating days: September 11th. Now, at this 10 year anniversary it is pertinent to ask,
“What, as a country, have we achieved? What has changed? What will change?”
In the ten years that followed the most tragic event America has ever experienced we have witnessed a collapse in faith of one president and the rise of the first African-American president, an invasion of two countries, the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. We have seen Katrina, one of the most tragic hurricanes to hit US soil, an economic and housing crisis, the beginning of the social networks and their impacts on us, the Middle East and the world.
We have experienced a socialized medical system, an increase of media control on public view, and a Congress that is too divided to cooperate to do what is best for the country as the Founding Fathers intended.
Almost ten years after the most devastating attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, justice was brought to Osama bin Laden in the form of a group Navy SEALs, their attack dog, and two bullets. We have all experienced so much in the last ten years.
Although many of the Taliban’s and Al Qaeda’s leaders and forces have been killed or captured, it is not the end of terrorism. Over four and a half thousand American soldiers have been killed in action for the War of Terror, not to mention the brave 343 of FDNY and those killed on the four planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. May we never forget their memory and sacrifice as we approach this historic anniversary.
Many of our allies, such as the United Kingdom, have also suffered, and continue to suffer, the horror of terrorism . We must be grateful to these allies who have aided us in our endeavor to stop this global threat. Many attacks have been stopped thanks to our allies and our intelligence agencies and no further ones have claimed lives on US soil. However, it will still be years, most likely decades, before we see how our actions have affected history and whether or not our fight in the Middle East was successful or not.
This is the time for the American people to truly remember who we are. Things look bad: by the time we get to graduate we will still probably be in a world with debt, war, and politicians that are constantly in disagreement, but we have been through worse. We have spent twelve years in a recession and entered the most destructive war in history after losing a large majority of our navy and eighty-five percent of our air force in a deadly sneak attack. After the American Revolution we were in major debt, hardly any military, and a weak government. There were times during the Civil War when the future looked like a world where America would dissolve and slavery would continue. However during every one of these dark times the People of America have come together and pulled through to beat the odds. I want people to know that we will survive, the future has not been written yet, and there is hope.
The symbol of this hope will be the One World Trade Center building (formerly known as the Freedom Tower). It will be tallest building in the Unites States, standing 1,776 feet; a number that represents the year of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is scheduled to be complete in 2012. I know it is just another skyscraper to some people, but we should always think of it as symbol that no matter how badly any enemy hurts us we will always rebuild and never forget the innocent who died and those who died saving others.
