Tuesday, the news told of events that shook our world.
In a terrorist attack, two planes were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York within 18 minutes of each other. Just a short while later, a third hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. A fourth hijacked plane crashed just south of Pittsburgh.
This terrible tragedy has changed the face of America forever. Thousands of people reportedly lost their lives in these senseless and cowardly acts.
Not in a generation has our country seen such tragedy. The last time something happened of this magnitude was “Sunday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.”
The events that happened on Tuesday will always be compared to Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, everyone will remember where they were on the day that the World Trade Center Twin Towers went down and that terrorist attacks destroyed part of the building housing the head of our nation’s defense program.
One of the things that has made me even prouder to be an American than I already was, is the way that our nation instantly pulled itself together to help our fallen comrades.
Within mere hours of the incident, people were flocking to New York and Washington, D.C,. to volunteer in the relief efforts there. People were lined up outside of American Red Cross centers all across the country. In New York City itself, some people waited for more than five hours to donate their blood.
And now, ETSU Pride has taken on a new meaning. I am proud to be and ETSU student because of the way the students of this university have banded together to come to the aid of total strangers.
ETSU students have been lining up outside of the local American Red Cross in order to donate blood to help these victims.
Students gathered together in the Ampitheatre and held hands as they prayed for the good of our nation and for those who have been affected by this great tragedy. Also, a candlelight vigil was held in the Ampitheatre on Wednesday night to show support to the families of those who have lost their lives and to those who are working hard to help us pull the pieces back together.
In this, the greatest of nations, we will not allow such cowardice to keep us down.
We will stand up to the terrorists and let them know that though they may destroy our buildings, this country stands for something they cannot destroy – FREEDOM.
As our President George W. Bush said as he addressed the nation on Tuesday night, “America was targeted for these acts because we are the biggest and brightest beacon for freedom in the world.” It is because we are that beacon that we must stand up and show what we are made of.
Now is the time for our nation to pull together like we have never pulled together before.
In the face of this tragedy, it is important for us to remember that we must not be too quick to judge other people.
Not everyone who is of the Islamic faith or happens to have ethnic heritage or ties to the Middle East condones for these horrible events. We must remember that in order for justice to occur, we too must be just.
We must avoid persecuting these people because of things over which they have no control. To do so would make us no better than the people who perpertrated these senseless acts.
I would like to issue a challenge to all who read this to get involved in the relief effort in some way.
Local American Red Cross centers are opening their doors to collect much needed units of blood to send to New York and Washington, D.C. In the first two days of this crisis alone, hundreds of people answered the call and went to the American Red Cross’ collection site in Johnson City and donated the help that they could give, their blood.
There are also other ways which we can help.
No matter what your religious persuasion is, I would like for everyone to pray to their chosen deity for the families of the victims, the injured, the volunteers and our brave men and women in the military. If you do not believe in one, then at least offer up a moment of silence and keep these people in your thoughts and in your hearts. They need us now.
We as a nation need to pull together like we did for Pearl Harbor and like we did when President Kennedy was assassinated.
We need to be strong and show the world that this is America, and we will not take this lying down.
We need to show the terrorists who perpetrated these attacks that they may bomb us, they may shake our cities, but they can never shake what we stand for because that is something far greater than we will ever be – Freedom.

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