10th Anniversary of 9/11

I never really understood September 11th until I watched the documentary "9/11". I was young when it happened and although I remember it every year, I really got what actually happened. This film made it all clear to me. I learned something about my country from this film. No matter what happens to the United States, it never gives up. The firefighters exemplified this in the movie when they continued to go back to the site over and over again, no matter what had just taken place. They were determined to do all they could to fix or alleviate what had just happened.
An article on CNN's website titled, "We Must Pay Our Debt to 9/11 Heroes," was Senator Kirsten Gillibrand views on post 9/11 effects. She states, "More than 30,000 responders and survivors from across the country have had to be medically treated because of their exposure to ground zero toxins." On that day in 2001, Americans rushed to help however they could. They all wanted to help save whoever they could and assist in the clean up. No one had time to think of how the conditions would effect their health in years to come. At the time rescuing a devastated city was more important. Senator Gillibrand is for a law that would ensure all these 9/11 heroes proper medical treatment to all World Trade Center related diseases and health defects. I have to agree with her. The firefighters and even just the ordinary people who came out that day and acted as our heroes cannot be forgotten or left behind. Although it has been 10 years we cannot forget what they did. As fellow Americans it is now our duty to help them as they have already sacrificed to help us.
How has 9/11 impacted my life today? I grew up post 9/11 and can't really compare my life now to how I lived before it happened. I hear that before 9/11 you could actually get on a plane with a bottle of shampoo. This change has to be one of the least significant ones. For me growing up post 9/11, I have lived with racism towards Arabs and Muslims my whole life. I can't compare to how it was before 9/11, but I do know that it is prevalent in my country. Just because my country sees them equal by law does not mean they do not face racism in their every day lives. I've always been raised to treat others equally and not to discriminate, but I also grew up around all the jokes. "That guy over there with the head-wrap... stay away he's probably got a bomb on him." Just because someone may say it in a joking matter, does not erase the fact that those stereotypes exist. The fact that someone finds it funny shows subconscious racist thoughts. How did America, the country where all men are created equal, get this way. 9/11 was such a tragedy to all Americans that perhaps they were looking for someone to blame for everything we lost. This seems counterproductive. After such a tragic event, America should be coming together and embracing everything it stands for. That is true victory. Not forgetting our core beliefs and starting to discriminate against others. Some say America has lost its integrity after 9/11, but I don't see it. The immense amount of firefighters and citizens that came out to help that day show what great character exists within our country. If America continues to discriminate or stand by as others do, only then will we start to lose our integrity as a free and equal democracy.