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The Aftermath of Terror |
Nearly one month following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, American people are still feeling the aftermath. Terror has forever been instilled in the American people, and our economy reflects that. Reminders of the day that changed history are all around, never letting us forget the moment that changed our lives as individuals and as a nation.
In Mr. Bufano's class, in the back of the room, there are pictures of nineteen different men who brought our country to a screeching halt. Its amazing to think that only nineteen men, armed with box cutters could get on our planes, hijack them, and then use them as bombs against us. The pictures are slightly creepy, in the way that they seem to stare back, but seeing the faces is a reminder of what happened, and what could possibly happen again.
Teacher, Mr. Bufano said, "Terror has succeeded. Throughout history it has succeeded. Show me an American that's not scared, and I'll show you an American that's protected by Congress."
What is even scarier is the fact that the nineteen men looked normal. The faces could be anyone's neighbors, friends, family; the only thing not seen in the faces were enemies. They seemed to belong in our country. They even lived and worked in our country. This incident leads us to think, "could this possibly happen again"?
In spite of the terror, many people have come together, to either worship in any form that they chose, or to donate money or blood for the victims of the attacks. Junior, John Lee said, "Although the American people are scared, as a result of the terror, the they have come together to form one united nation." Terror has also taken a different form; the form of Americans of Middle Eastern descent being scared of what their future holds. Terror is now instilled in these innocent people, who had nothing to do with the terrorist acts, but now are directly involved in them. Are the so-called Americans who terrorized mosques any better than the terrorists who terrorized our country?
As the news stations slowly get over the "Attack on America," the American people also begin to recover from the tragedies, but the scars are still present, and can easily be re-opened with the constant reminders. The incident will submerge in our day-to-day activities, but when pictures of the terrorists are seen, it is a reminder of how much our lives have changed since the attacks.
Teenagers now are much more aware of their surroundings, and what is going on around them. Most people, especially teenagers at our school are just trying to move on, and go forward in their academic careers, and their lives. Senior, Amanda Baker said, "I think the majority of Americans are scared. A close friend of mine was in the World Trade Center and didn't make it out, and I'm just trying to move on."