History Has Been Made

I remember September 11th, 2001 very clearly. I woke up at my usual 6;30, and started getting ready for school. As I walked to the kitchen to make my cereal I saw my mom watching the news and I heard "the world trade center has been attacked." I didn't quite understand what had happened. And the camera cut back to the towers as another plane came across the screen, and the second building was struck, then the towers collapsed. And thats when I understood the magnitude of the situation, I was an eleven year old 6th grader, but I knew something terrible had happened. My heart sunk and I knew our lives would be altered forever. As I went to school and continued watching the news feed at school, and as the networks continued to show the chaos in New York and later the Pentagon, I couldn't help but cry. I didn't know these people, or any of their families, but I knew that Americans had been murdered unjustly, by a group of individuals who obviously hated this country. Despite your position on the crimes the United States has committed in history, the 3,000 Americans who were murdered that day did not deserve to die. The people in the world trade center did not deserve to die. The people in the Pentagon did not deserve to die. The brave men and women on flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania and on the other three planes did not deserve to die. The only person that deserved to die that day died today May 1st, 2011.

Today was a huge milestone in a war that has lasted over nine years. We have accomplished what we set out to do 9 years ago. We as Americans have made huge sacrifices for this day. Our rights were violated by the Bush administration with the Patriot Act. Our privacy was invaded every time we go to an airport. And now, the thousands of soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice to bring this man to justice can rest in peace. The families of those who died on September 11th and the families of the soldiers who gave their lives to find this man can sleep a little better tonight. The absolution and closure these families so hoped for and DESERVED has finally come. And I thank God for that.

And now we have one more step. I hope President Obama makes sure to let Americans know that we cannot tolerate ignorance toward Muslims not only in America, but across the globe. We need to make sure that we demonstrate a commitment to accepting Islam but to continue to denounce extremist terrorist groups. We need to show the world that we know the difference between the millions of peaceful Muslims across the globe and terrorist groups like al Qaeda.

Today, like every other day, I'm proud to be an American. Not only because Osama bin laden is dead, but because we did it. Americans did it. And as I've reflected on this day and the past nine years, it's been difficult to hold back tears. So although today should be remembered, let's not forget why this day needed to happen, the 3,000 Americans who lost their lives on that Tuesday morning on September 11th.

God Bless