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The skies were quiet. Phones everywhere began to ring incessantly. On every street corner, in every car and in every home, the droning of a newsman’s voice over the radio or television could be heard delivering the unacceptable news.The World Trade Towers – the sky-high symbols of American prosperity and the trademarks of New York, the country’s most celebrated city – had crumbled to the ground. In the nation’s capitol, the Pentagon was burning. America – its framework and its foundation – was under siege.
On Tuesday, Sept. 11, a group of terrorists acted out an inhumane and incomprehensible plot that devastated lives and sent America plunging into the depths of darkness and despair. Like a dagger in the heart, the horrific display of pure cruelty left the nation heartbroken and incensed. What occurred on that fateful day has forever changed the face of freedom from coast to coast – and reversed the fate of our generation.
Until Tuesday, those of us between the ages of 18-30 were appropriately known as ‘The Warless Generation.’ Previous generations are well acquainted with massive death and destruction, gut-wrenching loss and tremendous self sacrifice, the magnitude of which we, the lucky ones, had been spared. Our only brush with the evil drudgery of battle was the Gulf War – a conflict not without casualty, but very much a calf in comparison to the bulls of Vietnam, Korea, and World Wars I and II.
But the past is a stranger to this kind of villain, who aimed not only at the beating heart of America, but punched the gut of its vibrant youth. The losses incurred in the disaster are unfathomable. Some who perished were young entrepreneurs realizing a dream of making it big, working in the world’s most recognizable financial mecca. Many were young firefighters who were following in the footsteps of their fathers, carrying on a tradition of community service. Others were valiant policemen and women who, as they had done since their first day as a rookie cop, charged to the scene of the crime in a selfless attempt to salvage human life. They were the light of the present and the hope of the future.Before Tuesday’s tragedy, the biggest dilemmas facing our generation included finding a solution to Internet fallout and curing e-mail viruses – petty concerns in comparison to the new hand we’ve been dealt. To some, we have earned the reputation of an apathetic group; youth unwilling to shed a blanket of security amidst self-serving graces.
But, as we have so gravely learned, change comes swiftly and without warning. Now, we must divert our focus to mankind’s greatest need: the triumph of good over evil. We must secure this country’s stability and protect the landmarks and treasures for which our forefathers fought. We must roll up our sleeves, join forces, and tend to the daunting task before us.We must accept that we are no longer ‘The Warless Generation.’
