The ongoing impact of 9-11 and its legacy. "Never Forget"

jessetorres358
Sep 7
6 min read

Updated: Sep 8

The hurting will never get any easier!!!

The United States went to war following the 9-11 terror attacks.

As another anniversary of the twin towers' destruction nears, it continues to be a challenging memory for the Americans who were lost. On the day the towers were attacked, I was working at a retirement home in McAllen Tx. I was in my mid-twenties and was heading to the dining room for a brief walk when I saw on TV that America had been attacked.

Initially, there were no words to describe this attack. The broadcasters first reported that a plane had malfunctioned, but it wasn't until another plane struck the other tower that America finally understood we were under attack from another country.

Yet, who could harbor such hatred towards Americans to commit such an act? America has consistently aided other countries in times of need.

Why must we remember Osama bin Laden?

We may all question why Osama bin Laden should be remembered in history. On that day, he took something from every American that can never be returned. He was accountable for the deaths of more than 3,000 Americans, who came from families of all races.

On that day, we lost many first responders, along with others who, were not first responders, which now are recognized as American heroes.

In the book, The Age of Scared Terror, "Daniel Benjamin" and "Steven Simon" contend that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were solely religious. These acts are described as "a sacrament ... intended to restore to the universe a moral order that had been corrupted by the enemies of Islam." They are not political or strategic, but rather an "act of redemption" aimed at "humiliating and slaughtering those who defied the hegemony of God."

Raymond Ibrahim, while working as a researcher at the Library of Congress, discovered a notable contrast between Al Qaeda's English communications aimed at Western audiences and its Arabic messages and documents intended for Islamic audiences.

The messages indicate that West pointed to grievances as justifications for retaliation, employing the "language of 'reciprocity.'" Conversely, the literature intended for Islamic audiences emphasized theological motivations, omitting any reference to the actions of Western nations.

Criticism of American Practices!!!

Osama bin Laden opposed the American way of life. He was critical of American consumerism and its immodest values, as well as its secular nature. He disapproved of its foreign policy, which involved interfering in the Middle East to secure oil supplies. Additionally, he opposed the establishment of the Israeli state and consequently harbored animosity towards America as a key ally of Israel. Bin Laden was associated with a group of radical fundamentalists who believed that the ideal government should be governed by Sharia law.

On September 11, his assaults on symbols of American capitalism and military power were intended to convey a message—that vulnerabilities in Western strength could be exploited by the Middle East. Bin Laden, originally from Saudi Arabia, took refuge along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in the initial phase of the Global War on Terror. From there, he coordinated extremist groups online to target Americans in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at various embassies across the Middle East and Africa.

The decline of the people!!!

No specific individuals who were filmed or photographed falling from the towers, including the person whose image became known as the Falling Man, have ever been officially identified.

While they documented 105 victims per tower, they indicate that this number probably underrepresents the actual count of those who perished in this way; "USA Today" estimated that the number of victims from the North Tower was likely in the hundreds.

The variation in the number of victims falling from each tower is partly due to the differences in each impact, with Flight 11's impact resulting in significantly more victims being trapped on a much smaller number of floors.

Although windows were shattered by those trapped in both towers, such instances were much less frequent in the South Tower. Three individuals documented as falling exited from a single window located on the southern part of the 79th floor's east side, where the damage was most severe and the fires burned most intensely.

I couldn't comprehend what those individuals went through that day as they fell from the burning Towers. I can assure you that those who fell didn't want to make that choice either. However, their only options were to be burned alive or to fall, so many of them chose to fall.

George W. Bush was the Commander-in-Chief!!!

President George W. Bush faced the first major crisis of the 21st century. September 11 highlighted how the president addressed terrorism domestically and his strategy to conduct a global war on terror.

President Bush learned about the first plane shortly before joining a second-grade class. He was observing a reading exercise when, shortly after 9 a.m., United Flight 175 crashed into the second tower.

"A second plane struck the second tower; America is under attack," Card informed the president. "He understood he had to take command as commander-in-chief, beyond just being president." "We're at war, and someone has dared to attack us, and we're going to respond," President Bush remembers. "I realized I was in a unique situation to receive a message that we had been attacked, and I was looking at these young children when suddenly we were at war. "Bush Quoted".

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a challenging time for America," he stated in the speech. "Today, we have experienced a national tragedy. Two airplanes have collided with the World Trade Center in what seems to be a terrorist attack on our nation." "Bush Quoted"

President Bush promised the people that he would not forget the events of September 11. As long as I am president, we will seek out the killers and ensure they face justice. We owe this to those who lost their lives," "President Bush Quoted".

On May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEAL operatives in Abbottabad, Pakistan, shortly after 1:00 AM. While he was ultimately defeated, the suffering endured by the families he had harmed. Even now, Americans continue to feel the pain of the individuals and children lost on that day. President Bush kept his promise to bring justice to the Americans who lost their loved ones.

During this critical period, Americans came together, putting aside their Democratic or Republican affiliations. Our main focus was on the fact that we were under attack, and we all aimed to support our nation. We are stronger when we stand together, and unity will always be our strength.

It's crucial that we continue to remember what was lost on September 11, 2001. The lives and heroes who united to overcome the tragedy must never be forgotten.

I believe September 11 should be a holiday dedicated to reflecting on our losses and accomplishments. It is important to remember to love one another and release any hatred.

Let's fire up the barbecue pits and annually reflect on what we lost and how we overcame this tragic day.

What Does the American Flag Symbolize!

In 1912, the American flag's star count increased to 48 with the inclusion of New Mexico and Arizona. This version remained the official flag for 47 years, marking it as the longest-serving flag in the nation's history.

On August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower directed the update of the American flag to include 50 stars. Since that time, the flag has consistently featured 50 prominent stars, each representing one of the 50 states, neatly arranged in the upper left corner.

The 50 stars on the American flag not only symbolize the 50 states but also represent a "Divine goal."