What started out as a normal morning for most people ending up becoming one of the most tragic days in the history of the United States of America when terrorists hijacked four planes, causing thousands upon thousands of casualties.
Citizens across the country watched in horror as step-by-step footage was broadcasted live of the terrorists attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Virtually everything stopped as complete strangers huddled together around television sets, radios, or computers. There was no discrimination: all races, genders, religions and cultures felt the helpless feeling that their lives would forever change.
We as a nation had not expected the attack, nor were we prepared to undertake such a national emergency. But citizens pulled together. Firefighters, police officers, city workers, or just brave volunteers all worked frantically, risking their lives, to help find complete strangers injured and trapped under the rubble that used to be called the World Trade Center.
Questions are flying back and forth. Who is the mastermind behind these horrible incidents? How will we regain its integrity? Are we at war? What is going to happen?
Perhaps while awaiting the answers to these and many more questions, Americans can attempt to find some good that came out of the situation. When else in history have American citizens pulled together, non-discriminatory, to fight for a common cause? All of the feuds between republicans and democrats, blacks and whites, rich and poor and catholics and protestants can perhaps finally cease, while we work together as a nation to restore trust and pride. Maybe this is just a terrible way for us to learn our lesson: put all these childish antics aside and focus on the real issues at hand, the American people.
If the United States declares war against its enemies -- causing more deaths, both allies and enemies -- it might feel as though retributin has been paid. But isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? Won't we have stooped to their level of madness by also firing upon innocent citizens in retaliation? As the leader of the free world, the United States should set an example. Sure, punish those guilty of wrong-doings. But with a trial, not with a war against enemy territories where innocent people live.
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