The Day That Changed America by Jenna Breite

Just came upon this school assignment Jenna did one year after 9/11/01, she was 13 years old and in 8th grade. I thought you might find it interesting.

The Day That Changed America

September 11, 2001, changed every American's life. If you don't think it changed your life--you're wrong! I know it has changed my view of the world. I see policemen, firemen and emergency medical personnel through different eyes than before 9/11. Americans are being more patriotic. More families are embracing their friends and neighbors. Our nation has changed and become more loving and understanding.

Ever since September 11th, Americans have had more respect for policemen, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. Our nation has realized that firefighters are willing to risk their very lives to save you or your loved ones. We know this because on September 11th they were the ones to rush into a building that was on fire, knowing that they might not come back alive. They went into the building anyway to help those they could.

There was one team of firefighters that were in World Trade Center Tower One when the second tower got hit and collapsed. The group was helping people out down a stairwell that was filled with debris from the first collapse. They moved the people to another stairwell and continued down. When they got to the other stairwell they heard their own building shudder and start to collapse. It only took eight seconds for World Trade Center Tower One to come down around them. The firefighters and the people they were helping were literally buried alive. It was black as night and they couldn't see. They had radios and were trying to call for help but were unsuccessful. They still didn't know exactly what had happened. They didn't know that Tower Two was down, that hundreds of fellow firefighters were missing or even if they would get out alive. They lay under the rubble, unable to move for fear of debris crushing them. They were in that condition for two to three hours before the chief saw a stream of light coming from a shaft above him. He managed to get up through the shaft and to the outside where he could radio for help. When help arrived they started to walk back over the fallen towers. Slowly, carefully, covering the area to safety, step by step over fire-hot debris. It took them three more hours to get to safety.

I personally feel a great deal of respect towards these brave men and the other firefighters. Those men got lucky. Who knows why they were saved when many firefighters didn't make it out along with many civilians. The emergency personnel must have been very busy with all of the people getting injured. They had to take care of many burn victims. People who had all of their clothes burned off of them, people with injured eyes because of the dust cloud, people with injuries because of falling debris; all needed care. They also had to deal with the many dead bodies that were recovered. Not only did they have to care for the injured they had to be on top of things and not break down under tremendous pressure. The New York police department helped by directing traffic and guiding people to safety. They helped many people out of the towers. As a result of the events of September 11th it became very apparent how much these brave people love their jobs and their country.

Americans have become more patriotic since September 11th. I have noticed that many people are hanging flags and putting things on their cars to show their national pride. We have united together more as a nation than in recent memory. People throughout the country raised flags and mounted flags on their cars. People started displaying the United States flag to show their pride of our nation and to show that they were not afraid to show their love for this great nation.

I know that ever since September 11th my mother has read everything she could about the events of 9/11. She says that it is because she wants to get a better understanding of what people experienced and how they responded to those events. It is also because she still can't believe that it happened. We have recently added a flag to our car also to show our pride and unity. As she shares information she has read, our family has learned more about other culltures and has a somewhat greater understanding of the tragic events of September 11th.

In fact, we went ot Ground Zero last Thanksgiving; just two months after the attack. When we got there it was very quiet and all you could hear was the workers moving large pieces of metal. The reactions of the people standing around us were sadness, shock and disbelief. A memorial wall was set up nearby for people who had died or who were missing. There were many candles, flowers, pictures of loved ones, notes, and banners from all around the world showing love and support for the people of New York and the United States.

Families throughout the country have come together and have a better understanding of each other. We have embraced our families and reached out more just to talk. When we are done talking we say "love you," more often. We do this because we realize that that could have been us on that plane or in those buildings. We were lucky that it wasn't.

We have also been nicer to our neightbors and friends. We understand that this didn't just affect us, it affected the whole nation. Even though you are only one person you can make a difference in someone's life simply by being kind. If you made that one person feel special, then maybe you will influence them to be kind to someone else. Families and relationships are stronger and as a result America has come together more as a nation.

We are now a more loving and understanding country. We, as a nation, are seeing how a tragic terrorist act can affect us, even when you are so far away. The world has gotten much smaller. We understand what the firefighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel had to go through. This nation won't let this affect our daily life. So, we hang our American flags high and hold our heads high and stay strong. We continue to live our lives in freedom and without fear. We have come together as a nation and our hearts go out to all the people who lost their lives as well as to their families on the day no one in America will forget, September 11, 2001.

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As I copied this into the blog I had many thoughts and emotions churned up. I sit here shaking my head at the state of affairs President Bush's administration has caused us to be in. I am filled with dismay about the victims of Hurricane Katrina and wonder why he hasn't made them a higher priority. I puzzle over his misguided and misleading information about the situation in Iraq. Never, in my lifetime, has my country been so divided with it's people hesitant to speak their hearts and minds. It is very patriotic and "American" to question our leadership. Not only is it patriotic, it is required as a citizen of this great country. For those who label citizens who ask questions "unpatriotic" I would say, "Where is your patriotism when you do not speak up at injustice and falsehoods?" But, I digress. Indeed, Jenna captured the spirit of the time just after September 11, 2001. Would that it was still that way. ~Laura Breite