tp134.xml
Title
tp134.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2003-03-03
TomPaine Story: Story
Toward A More Perfect Union: Lessons Learned - Or Not - Since 9/11
September 11th. Two simple words that can inspire complex emotions and lead a nation to fight. Yet have we learned from this tragedy?
Once we looked beyond the destruction and into the heart of our country, what we saw left us shattered. The powerful giant that is the United States had been caught sleeping. We were supposed to be untouchable, but now we realized too late that we were not. Our open doors that once welcomed the hurting and poor were at once shut and the divisions of race and origin became painfully clear. We rose in hatred against each other and left painful wounds. Domestic policy pointed out people of certain origins in our airports and public places to be searched or watched.
Is this not a violation of our rights as Americans?
Foreign policy became to attack and destroy all people that we saw as potential enemies. What started as a retaliation against Afghanistan broadened to threats of war against terrorist nations in the Middle East. As a result, we have been polarized against people of Middle Eastern descent. All this served to do is tear us apart while we claim to be united.
If anything is to be salvaged from this disaster, we must learn from all the times in the past that we have divided along the lines of race. We must take the lessons from World War II and September 11th and move towards acceptance of each other. We must unite whether we be Japanese, Middle Eastern, or any other race. Ultimately, we are all American.
Is it not each of us that is responsible to lead our country towards a truly united future?
September 11th. Two simple words that can inspire complex emotions and lead a nation to fight. Yet have we learned from this tragedy?
Once we looked beyond the destruction and into the heart of our country, what we saw left us shattered. The powerful giant that is the United States had been caught sleeping. We were supposed to be untouchable, but now we realized too late that we were not. Our open doors that once welcomed the hurting and poor were at once shut and the divisions of race and origin became painfully clear. We rose in hatred against each other and left painful wounds. Domestic policy pointed out people of certain origins in our airports and public places to be searched or watched.
Is this not a violation of our rights as Americans?
Foreign policy became to attack and destroy all people that we saw as potential enemies. What started as a retaliation against Afghanistan broadened to threats of war against terrorist nations in the Middle East. As a result, we have been polarized against people of Middle Eastern descent. All this served to do is tear us apart while we claim to be united.
If anything is to be salvaged from this disaster, we must learn from all the times in the past that we have divided along the lines of race. We must take the lessons from World War II and September 11th and move towards acceptance of each other. We must unite whether we be Japanese, Middle Eastern, or any other race. Ultimately, we are all American.
Is it not each of us that is responsible to lead our country towards a truly united future?
Collection
Citation
“tp134.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed May 19, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/771.