story418.xml

story418.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-04-15

I was sleeping peacefully on Sept. 11, 2001 at my house in a nice suburb of Chicago, IL. The phone rang early. I thought it was my boyfriend, but it was one of my father's friends. As soon as I picked up the phone he was yelling "Turn on channel 5!!" I didn't know what was going on or why this friend of my father's was calling so early. So, in a strange state of sleepiness and disorientation I turned on the news.
What I saw next was horrible. The camera showed people running around the streets of New York is shock. I was in shock myself when I saw what was going on. At first I thought that the plane crashes were just coincedental. But as the day went on and the news received more and more information, I learned that it was a terrorist event.
A thousand questions whizzed through my mind. The biggest one was 'why us, why America?' I love this country. Even though many people in America don't believe in every decision nothing like this has happened before. It broke my heart. I can't even imagine what those people were feeling in that huge city. Probably a billion different feelings. What a horrible event to happen here. It happened in a city so far, but yet so close. I hope that one day the people that are responsible for these actions feel all the pain that all the Americans and people of other countries felt. Nothing can describe that feeling.
It united us well. I don't think that it was necessasary though for such a terrible event. We are supposed to be 'Land of the Free, and Home of the Brave' Everyone wants to come to America. Why would someone want to terrorize us? Honestly, I think some of it has to do with jealousy. Some people in more unfourtunate countries do wish that they were like us, and I hope someday that they are. The people who want their freedom should be heard. There are many ways to become involved in your community, even government positions as well.