- Essay by Paul Swinehart, Grade 8
On September 11th, 2001, I was awakened from bed early by my Mom. On the television, I saw two skyscrapers in New York on fire. They had been hit by airplanes.
Of course, I was very sad, but I was mostly very angry. I was only 8 years old. I didn't know what to think. I didn't know who could have done such a terrible thing. When we found out that it was the Taliban, people from Afghanistan, I was wondering where the country was. I finally found it on a map. My immediate reaction was anger! I was prejudiced - I thought that everything and everyone that came from that region was bad. I realize now that you can't label an entire group or race of people as being evil. Still ... I can't help wondering where the masterminds are right now and when they will be caught. I can't wait until that day comes, because I will know that justice has finally been served.
But, amidst all of the terror, anger, and confusion on that day, I looked at the United States. It had been the terrorists' plan to make the United States fall to its knees. But, they were wrong. The United States united itself and became a stronger country. People were friendlier and more forgiving. The citizens of this country looked out for each other. It does my heart good to know that we are a great country that bands together instead of dividing and falling.
Patriotism is something that can not only be seen, but also felt. It is what drives us through the times when we think of the Twin Towers, and the terrorists. It is that rush of pride that we get when we think of our country, the most powerful country in the world, the United States of America. Patriotism is what helped us regain the power from the terrorists, power that the citizens of this country will keep forever.
God is looking out for us today, and we feel Him even stronger since September 11. We will let the terrorists know that they didn't take away the heart of America, and we will give them a long, hard message that the United States has never been more truly "united" than it is today!
