As the ninth anniversary of the attacks on America approaches, people throughout our country are feeling sad, or angry, and are taking time to reflect on how our nation has changed since that day. There are obvious changes, like the war against terror that America became involved in not long after 9/11, or the empty space in Manhattan amidst tall skyscrapers where three structural landmarks once stood like beacons.
But it’s the less-obvious impacts of 9/11 that I want to call to your attention today. Like the first five Ground Zero workers and first responders to pass away in 2009 following illnesses attributed to toxic exposures. Like the longterm health worries that other workers and New Yorker’s who lived and worked nearby have to deal with because close to 2 million tons of debris released an immeasurable amount of toxins, including asbestos and benzene, into the air surrounding Ground Zero for days, weeks, and months after the attack. Like the fact that the House shot down a bill that would have allocated billions of dollars to those who are suffering due the dust that hung over Manhattan nine years ago.
An anniversary, by definition, is a “day that commemorates and/or celebrates a past event.” While we often think about September 11, 2001 and feel sad, it’s important, too, to think about how this tragedy has brought us together as a country, and as communities, and as families.
As soon as they heard about what had happened, thousands of regular Americans packed a bag, got into their car, and began driving towards New York City. Some were volunteer firefighters, some were doctors, some were construction workers – and some were people who just felt compelled to be there and serve others. Firefighters and police from all over New York City and the entire state, who consider other first responders to be their brothers or sisters, left their families and headed to Ground Zero to assist with the recovery of survivors, and eventually, bodies.
Members of the military volunteered, providing security and other duties at Ground Zero. It was a time when Americans were proud to live in our country, and suddenly felt a sense of kinship with their neighbors, co-workers, and even strangers.
People began to act differently. Teenagers hugged their parents. People offered to carry someone else’s bag of groceries to their car at the supermarket. Neighbors who saw each other every day but rarely took the time to socialize began to say hello in the morning. Everyone, even those who had little themselves, wanted to know what they could do to help. Donations in the form of money, supplies and more were pouring in to the American Red Cross.
What we must remember is that there will always be adversity. As the greatest nation in the world, it is to be expected. How we behaved in the minutes, days, months, and now years after 9/11/01 is how we must always behave: selfless, generous, caring, and tolerant. Other groups wanted to cripple America nine years ago, but here we are, still free We’re still free, and since 9/11, we’ve given the lives of our military men and women in order to try and free others living in countries who do not have the opportunities and fortunes that we do. What does that say about our country, do you think? I think it says that we will not be broken, and we will rise from the ashes of any great tragedy that we endure.
Please take some time today to think about those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and to think about how we can do our best as Americans to honor those lives each day.
