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American Social History Project

My life has changed, as have the lives of all Americans, as a result of the events on September 11th. It was the first time in my life where I did not feel genuinely safe in my own country. I obviously wasn’t too worried because Chester, West Virginia would not be a prime target for a terrorist attack but the feeling of being attacked in your own country is unsettling nonetheless. I often think about how my life could have been altered so greatly that day. My dad was offered a job with an entertainment company that would have had him working in the world trade center on the upper floors. It’s interesting to think about how one decision could drastically affect the course of your life years later. I feel that while the creation of the TSA may have been seen as overreacting, I think it was for the best. I certainly feel safe on an airplane and I feel a level of security that wouldn’t have been achievable before September 11th. While we can complain until we’re blue in the face about airport security, we know deep down that we are glad that the stringent level of security was implemented because we are now unequivocally and assuredly safe. 9/11 may have been a tragedy but I feel that at least one good thing has resulted from it and that is our safety being taken more seriously that it has been in the past.

Every September 11th, I think about what I should do today to commemorate the events and how to honor the lives lost. Obviously you can’t turn on the news without seeing stories about 9/11. I typically watch documentaries on YouTube about the tragedy and interviews with various people involved in the event. I’ll watch old videos of the news shows that aired on September 11, 2001 and I think about what it would have been like to watch it unfold. I was in school that day and didn’t come home until 3 p.m. so by the time I had learned what had happened it was already over. Had I been home that day, I couldn’t imagine watching the news that morning and watching the second tower attacked unexpectedly. The feeling of not knowing what was going to happen next would have been unbearable. I’ve often wanted to do something like give blood or some other good deed. While I haven’t done so in the past, I’m going to make a point to do something next September 11th to truly do good and honor those who were lost.