This week, many of us remembered the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.
As I do each year around the anniversary, I go back and watch the TV broadcasts of the morning shows, such as NBC’s “Today Show” or ABC’s “Good Morning America” to get some perspective on what things were like prior to the terrorist attack to how things quickly changed to our post-Sept. 11 lives.
On the Today Show, the lead story that morning was about Michael Jordan attempting a return to the NBA after retiring a second time with the Chicago Bulls. Then President George W. Bush was also in Florida trying to tout his education initiatives. Specifically, he was there to watch a teacher in action.
Then we also had the ongoing story of Gary Condit’s relationship with Chandra Levy. We also had the debate of whether we should use stem cell research to assist with treatments.
We then also learned more about Joseph Ferguson, a man who went on a shooting rampage and killed five people before killing himself.
Little did anyone know that after the first hour of programming in the eastern time zone that hijackers set in motion a plan to bring our nation to its knees.
At 7:59 a.m., the first plane takes off and minutes later into the flight, it is hijacked. Then by 8:46 a.m. EDT, the first plane had struck the north twin tower. Bush is notified shortly after that attack.
Ironically at 9:02 a.m., the New York City Port Authority ordered the evacuation of the South Tower, and one minute later, the second plane strikes that building.
Most of America witnessed the second plane enter the South Tower on live television. It looks a scene out of an action movie, but it’s all too real.
Within the hour, the Pentagon is struck and the South Tower collapses. After learning of the devastation, passengers aboard Flight 93 attempt to retake the plane from hijackers, which causes the plane to crash in Somerset County, Pa. Then the north tower collapses 102 minutes after being first struck.
It is said that those 102 minutes changed the world as we know it. And we still see the effects of it today.
However, I wish we would see a resurge in a love for our community and fellow man that we saw in the days after 9/11. For a few short days, our nation was truly united. No one let our petty differences cause separation. We were all Americans.
My hope is that we can recapture that feeling, and we don’t see our neighbors as black or white, but we see them as people.
