| United We Stand To Fall Personal Response to 9/11 documentary |
| Warning: The following is solely the opinion of the writer, and is in no way to be used to persuade the reader of anything. Any reading and/or grading is to be done with open mind and unbiased attention. This essay may cause anger, outrage, and unwanted thoughts of agreement; but the writer, under no circumstances, takes responsibility for any interpretation the reader may have. I remember where I was when the Trade Center went down, a sophomore sitting in algebra class watching the television in awe. Thoughts raced through my head at about a billion miles per hour, and I wondered if the next plane was going to come crashing down right on top of Bonduel High School. Those kamikaze plane hijackers could have crash landed those planes anywhere, but they struck us where it would hurt the most. Like a little kid fighting back against a school bully. That�s exactly what it was, a school yard fight between America and the countries it�s been oppressing over the years. If you look at the world as an inter-continental classroom, you�ll see what I mean. You have America the arrogant bully, and Iraq the nerd who�s just about had it. America has been knocking everyone around for a long time, stopping once in a while to pick up those poor kids and get them back on their feet. Iraq was not one of those poor kids; they refused the hand of America, and refused to be pushed around any longer. You know that old taunt from your elementary days? �Someday, I�ll get you back. I don�t know how, and I don�t know when, but it will be when you least expect it!� Basically, that�s what September 11th was, a sucker punch from an angry nerd when America wasn�t looking. Those thousands of people dying for something they had no part in is completely unfair. However, people do die in wars, freak accidents, hold ups, and bombings. Where�s the commemoration for those people and their families? The answer to that is simple. It�s not marketable. When those Trade Towers came down, the American Flag was out of stock all around the country. Why did everyone need to buy one at that moment? If it were real patriotism, wouldn�t we have already had flags to fly in our front yards that very night? The American people will come together when a plane flies into building, but yet we snub the Salvation Army bell ringers on the street at Christmastime. Long before the September 11th attacks, our forefathers were fighting for freedom with patriotism. Where did it disappear to between then and 9-11? Showing that we�re full of pride and won�t be knocked down by some nerdy kid sick of America�s crap, we introduce the Pledge of Allegiance back into school. Why did we stop saying the Pledge in the first place, and will saying the Pledge make us immune to another surprise attack by a disgruntled country? We put our hands over our heart, and we pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth hanging in the corner of the room. However, even allegiance has its loopholes. God doesn�t belong in schools, you say? You can petition to get the words �under God� out of the Pledge. Don�t feel like getting off your butt and standing up to pledge your allegiance today? Cry �Freedom of Speech!� and you�re not being disrespectful. We lost a lot of people in the hands of terrorists. We�ve also lost a lot of people in the hands of our own psychotic unabombers and disgruntled postmen. A whole city was bombed in order to force Saddam Hussein out of hiding, and this was done at the hands of President Clinton. Was that a terrorist action in reverse? We hit them; they hit us back, just like a school yard fight between the bully and the nerdy kid. Let�s just hope Iraq didn�t watch the excessive news coverage on Columbine and try that stunt next. |