Tragedy struck 18 years ago, and people grasped hands, clung to each other, forged bonds, cried together, and determinedly pitched in to help their fellow citizens. But now, nearly two decades later, that unity, patriotism, and love for neighbor – regardless of political beliefs, gender identification, or race – have all but disappeared. We are now a nation torn apart.
Have We Forgotten?
At 8:45 a.m., Sept. 11, 2001, the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. A gaping, flaming hole appeared near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper. Hundreds of people were instantly killed while hundreds more were trapped. Eighteen minutes later, the second plane – a Boeing 767, United Airlines Flight 175 – crashed into the South Tower near the 60th floor. By 10:30 a.m., the north building of the twin towers had collapsed.
At 9:45 a.m., just one hour after the first plane hit the World Trade Center, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west side of the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense. The 64 people aboard died as well as 125 military personnel and civilians for a total of 189 deaths.
United Flight 93 had been delayed, and because of that, the passengers were made aware via their cell phones that America was under attack. They were not surprised when their plane was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The destination of this fourth and final plane was not known, but some speculate it could have been the White House.
Passengers decided to seize control from the terrorists, even though they knew the possibility of survival was slim.
Thomas Burnett Jr., a passenger, told his wife over the phone, “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.”
The passengers fought the four hijackers, and the plane crashed at near 500 miles per hour at 10:10 a.m. in a rural field near Shanksville in western Pennsylvania. All 44 people aboard died.
Not only Americans were killed; citizens of 78 other countries died during the 9/11 attack. A total of 2,996 people lost their lives that terrible day.
The Woke, MeToo, PC, and Offended America
In 18 years, the time it takes for a baby to be born and become a legal adult, Americans have turned on each other. Politicians snipe at each other, people are overly offended, gender confusion proliferates, sexuality expresses itself in countless forms, and allegations of sexual misconduct – real and imagined – have tanked the careers of politicians, CEOs, and celebrities.
Members of Congress have called for the harassment of Trump supporters; others have referred to the president as a racist, Hitler, a madman. Christians are insulted and condemned. Antifa threatens, intimidates, and attacks conservatives. Liberals, once proponents of free speech, won’t tolerate any with which they don’t agree. The right to bear arms is on the chopping block, and borders are slated for removal.
America has turned upside down. We have forgotten the importance of working side by side, of coming together as a united front.
Politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) should take a step back and remember what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Calling our detention centers concentration camps, saying no one should be called illegal, and inviting all across our borders unrestrained are proof that these ladies, and others, have forgotten how badly Americans suffered at the hands of terrorists who used and abused our immigration system.
If anything, Sept. 11 should be a day to redouble our efforts to strengthen our borders, to stand firm against aggression, to protect public safety, and to remind us how strong we are as one.
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