Six years ago today, I was a young student teacher preparing for another day at Middle School in northern Minnesota. Another teacher, I cannot remember who, came into the room to inform us that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. The thought of terrorism far from our minds we wondered what tragic accident could have caused such an event. As the day began, word came to us that a second plane had run into the second tower. Obviously, this was no longer a tragic accident, but a horrendous act of barbarity by men without conscience. So many thoughts ran through my head that day as we tried to make the children's school day as normal as it possibly could be. From rage and the hopes of revenge to worry about the effects it would have on my students, I ran the gamut of emotions and reactions to the amazing event.
Unfortunately, some choose to use 9/11 as a way to belittle political rivals (see also here and especially HERE), to scare the bejesus out of us, or to generally make outrageous claims of conspiracies. It is unfortunate to see a pivotal moment in the history of this country used as a tool to divide rather than as a gleaming moment of solidarity in which ALL Americans shared the grief of tragedy and the inspiration of heroism displayed on this one day!
I may disagree with the policies and direction this administration has taken, but that makes me NO LESS patriotic than those that support them wholeheartedly! I rallied around this President in the days and even weeks after 9/11 and it is my prerogative whether or not I should continue to support him when the decisions he makes run counter to my own beliefs about the direction we should take. No one should be made to feel less American for expressing their opinion. So,
I say SHAME to those that use this day to make political hay!
I say SHAME to those that try to claim conspiracy where there is none!
I say SHAME!
One of my favorite songs to express the day:
I may disagree with the policies and direction this administration has taken, but that makes me NO LESS patriotic than those that support them wholeheartedly! I rallied around this President in the days and even weeks after 9/11 and it is my prerogative whether or not I should continue to support him when the decisions he makes run counter to my own beliefs about the direction we should take. No one should be made to feel less American for expressing their opinion. So,
I say SHAME to those that use this day to make political hay!
I say SHAME to those that try to claim conspiracy where there is none!
I say SHAME!
One of my favorite songs to express the day:
