World Trade Center Site a Symbol for All of Us to Believe In

COMMENTARY | I felt compelled to write a follow-up to my recent article “Less Partisan Ten Years After 9/11.” In my article, I stated that today we are more divided than ever. In some ways we are more divided than ever. That does not mean we cannot come together, though. Part of getting through life is overcoming adversity. We don’t always feel like it, but it is something we all must face at various points in our lives. If we all make just a little more effort, we can go a long way.

Not New to Adversity


I hope that when the World Trade Center site is fully completed and dedicated we will be able to begin a new era in our country. I hope the site becomes a new symbol and inspiration for all of us to rally around. What else do we have to hold onto as a nation? Our heritage. Even though we are a young country, we have a history of overcoming adversity.

From the Revolutionary War to slavery to the Civil War, the Great Depression, two world wars, and much more, we have always gotten through it together or even come back together afterward. I strongly believe we can do it again; we can do it now. Our determination we have shown over the past 10 years in our fight against terrorism has shown our strength. Our will to win in this fight has not wavered. There have been arguments about the politics of the war, but no one questions that the war must be won.

The Architecture


I couldn’t end this article without at least touching on the architecture of the World Trade Center site. I actually want to refrain from doing an architectural critique of the new structures on the site. Some people like to over-intellectualize architectural critiques. It’s one thing for the architect to present his intentions; it’s another to get into ongoing discussions that might ultimately distract from a deeper emotional meaning to people.

I believe people can determine how they personally feel about the new development that is going on in New York City. It’s very personal and I think it’s best to keep it that way (in my opinion). I believe the site has more meaning to it than what a critique could live up to right now. A formal critique would take away from what is happening there. It is good for people to make their own determination of what the site and its architecture mean to them.

Some day in the future it will be good to do a formal public critique, just not now. I don’t feel that the time is right.

There is Hope, There is a Future


There is renewal, there is hope, there is a future. The site can be a reminder of how far we have come and we can make it a little further. To me it’s important for us to find ways we are alike. The more we can find that we have in common, the more we have to hold ourselves together as one community. If we continually focus on our differences and what we do not agree upon, the more we will fight and remain unsettled. In some ways we might be more divided than ever, but if we all make the effort we can get through all of this together.


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