Yahoo! is asking Americans how September 11 changed them. Below is an account from a reader.
September 11, 2001: As I woke up to get ready for my second day of college classes at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan, I remember turning on the TV, only to witness the first plane strike the first tower in New York City; witnessing an attack on American soil.
In the weeks after that day, we came together as a country. It didn’t matter if you lived in a red state or a blue state, we were all Americans. Ten years later, I’m facing the challenges of a troubled economy and finding a job in a politically polarized America.
[Your story: How has September 11 changed you?]
For my generation, September 11, 2001 means classmates who are now fighting in two wars; changes in the way we travel; a troubled economy.
During my college years after 9/11, I took the time to volunteer for projects such as the Martin Luther King Jr. service day, and got to know my fellow classmates and people from all religious and political backgrounds, working together for the betterment of our community.
Since then, it has become my belief that when we come together as Americans, we can do more than when we are divided. If we stay together as Americans, we can get through these tough times.