By Genevieve Mills and Lee Cole–
Many American citizens recall where they were on that unfortunate day ten years ago. Most who are now in college were quite young then. Some didn’t learn of the events until they came home from school while others watched it unfold on TV.
Wherever they happened to be on that day, 9/11 affected this country in a profound way.
It is certainly a watershed moment in American history and it has shaped the world as it is now, for better or for worse.
As President Obama put it in his recent op-ed published in USA Today, “Indeed, the last decade has been a challenging one for our country.
“But we have also seen the strength of the United States— in cities that have refused to give in to fear; in communities that have persevered through hard economic times; and, above all, in our men and women in uniform and their families who have borne an extraordinary burden for our security and our values.”
Several events on campus over the weekend helped to commemorate that tragic day.
Two fraternities, Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, have decided to remember 9/11 by creating a remembrance wall. The wall features students’ and faculty’s memories of where they were when the tragedy occurred.
As Tony Ausick, senior marketing major and a Beta eta Pi officer, said, 9/11 is “one of those things that you remember where you were.”
Sept. 11, 2001 is indeed something many remember and won’t want to forget as the years go by.
The wall will be throughout the Student Activities Center, in public places such as the multipurpose room so that all University of Louisville students can see and remember where they were, and how 9/11 affected them.
There was also an opportunity for students and faculty to write letters to the New York City fire-fighters, giving them their support.
On Monday, Sept. 12th, students participated in writing letters at the Red Barn, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and on Sunday faculty wrote letters at the faculty picnic.
The choir concert on Sunday, Sept. 11, featured music sung by all three of the university choirs. University Chorus, Collegiate Chorale, and Cardinal Singers all sang emotional songs to honor the victims of 9/11. It was the fi rst choir concert of the year.
The commemorative events and remembrance services held on campus and elsewhere help to reestablish the sense of unity that many Americans felt after Sept. 11. These events allow students to come together once more as Americans and neighbors and remember those who were lost.
As President Obama wrote, “ This is the true spirit of America we must reclaim this anniversary – the ordinary goodness and patriotism of the American people and the unity that we needed to move forward together, as one nation.
