The Day of Tragedies
“Would you like to see your new baby sister?” my father said with exhaustion but joy in his voice. As I entered the room, I saw my new sister, Annika Marie Acuna. I already knew her name considering I picked it out from a magazine. My mom handed me Annika having total trust in me to not drop her. But I guess I’m a pro by now since I’m the eldest of two little sisters. Annika was a heavy baby coming in at nine pounds eleven ounces. But all of that was just a flashback to fifteen years ago. October fifth is a special day considering Annika was born, but her birthday is filled with tragedy that happened throughout history. On this day the Paddington Rail Crash occurred, an earthquake took place in Ashgabat, and a mass grave was founded in Germany.
The first event I remember is the Paddington Rail Crash in London, England. I was in the waiting room waiting for the delivery of Annika when there was a breaking story on the news about it. All I could see on the screen was fire and chaos. I didn’t really understand what the news lady was saying, but I knew she said something about a safety test being rejected due to costs (SecondsFromDisaster). I knew she was referring to the trains that collided head on. As I thought more about the safety test being rejected, I thought it was senseless. I understood their frugality on costs, but I believed the protection of innocent lives is more crucial. The news lady also confirmed the deaths of thirty-one people and more than 520 people injured. There were also thirty ambulances, twelve fire engines, and seventy firefighters that rushed to the scene (BBC News). I couldn’t help but imagine how terrifying it must have been to be in that situation. Lastly, the news lady mentioned ...
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...ility. That was my last event that I remember that I could share with you.
Throughout the course of history on the day of October fifth, there were upsetting events that occurred. The three events I mentioned were the ones I believed to be tragic in my opinion. The Paddington Rail Crash was one of them, and it killed thirty-one people and injured over 520. The next event was the Ashgabat Earthquake. This earthquake is listed as one of the world’s most dangerous earthquakes killing over 110,000 people. The last event I mentioned was the discovery of a mass grave in Germany. The fifty-one skeletons founded were believed to be from the Nazi-Era Euthanasia Program that was designed to kill the disable and sick. Even though there was death and sorrow involved on this day of history, I consider it to be a special day since my baby sister, Annika Marie Acuna, was born.
Anna’s older sister Margaret had a baby girl. Anna’s father owned a vineyard and was a wine merchant, while Anna mother was a stay at home mother.
D-Day, one of the most important days during World War II, was a pivotal moment that changed an entire continent. Despite the name, D-Day did not occur in just one day, but rather over several days. It was a code name for the start of Operation Overlord. D-Day is well-known for marking the beginning of the end of the war in Europe and Hitler's rule over much of the continent. Many historians believe that without D-Day, Europe would have fallen to Hitler.
These two dates will always bring shame and heartbreak to the country, but when we look back on it, we find a little positivity grown from it. Each time a devastating incident occurs, we jump right back up, come together as a country to fight back. Our devotion to the country has yet to waiver. That is definitely the overlying fact between each of the pivotal events of the 21st century.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is a day that will remain infamous in the history of America. Although people know about the attack and remember it, they might not know as in-depth as Walter Lord narrates in his book Day of Infamy. Lord’s Day of Infamy is a vivid recounting of the events that occurred on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Lord articulates the story of Pearl Harbor, not only the actual bombing but also the planning involved on behalf of the Japanese and the aftermath associated with the bombing. Day of Infamy narrates all of the events in Pearl Harbor in a very concise 200 pages and it gives an hour by hour narration of what was occurring. The timeframe for his unfolding of the story is from 3:30 am on December 7, 1941 to 5:30 pm that same evening. At 3:30 most Americans were just lying in bed and relaxing on what seemed to them as just another Sunday morning. Some unlucky soldiers were at their gate post awaiting the arrival of some cargo ships. The soldiers on guard spotted a white light but when they shinned their spotlight on it the white light veered away. The soldiers dismissed it but they had no idea that it could have given them important information as to what Pearl Harbor was to undergo in the next few hours.
I see the three bodies in his painting as people falling from the 110th floor of the South Tower. I see the broken debris and splintered wood as pieces of steel and glass collapsing to the ground, taking firefighters and innocent people with it.
What would students think if they went into school on a beautiful April day not knowing that it was their last; would they be terrified to attend school, or would they skip school? Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, two Columbine High School students, went to Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 and killed people’s lives. Columbine raises questions, such as, who were Dylan and Eric, what was their plan, how did they achieve their goal, and what was the aftermath of that horrific day?
A series of shots being fired in the near distance can be heard. A crew of ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks are seen speeding down the streets while blaring their sirens to warn people to move out of the way rapidly. Then, crowds of people are seen running down the street franticly. Sounds of earsplitting yells fill the air. Their eyes are filled with tears of fear and terror. They look as if they were running for their lives. There is a wave of worry and curiosity that washes over everyone’s face as they stand there from a distance watching it take place. There was a sense of wanting to run towards the chaos to see what was going on. But the panic of the people running gave off the feeling of “Warning! Do NOT come this way!” What was happening? Later that night, the news reports that another mass shooting took place earlier on in the day. In the 21st century, many crimes involving mass shootings are the main focus of the public eye in the media. With the technology of the 21st century, investigators are able to look more into depth of the criminal’s background to see if they have a history of mental illness.
The year was 1952; the place was Emory University Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. After 35 hours of breathing, pushing and exhaustion a seven-pound baby is placed into the arms of a new mother. Moments before, the doctor had exclaimed, “ It’s a girl!” The second the mother heard the proclamation her mind began to wonder. Who will she be? Will she be smart? Will she be gentle? Will she be strong? Will she be proper? Will she be liked? Will she be beautiful? Will she be a wife? Will she be a mother? The mother looked into the eyes of her new daughter and felt, amidst the overwhelming joy, fear. Would her baby’s cohort be the one to spur on change? Will her opportunities forever be limited by her sex? Will she too be susceptible to everyday health issues that women endure? The mother took a breath, “ Her name is Emma.” She looked back into the eyes of the baby and thought; her life will be fraught with challenge and beauty. She will take it in stride and I will guide her as best I can. She will be a woman like any other but she will make a difference, no matter how small, in this world.
This is an ancient festivity that has been much transformed through the years, but which was intended in prehispanic Mexico to celebrate children and the dead. Hence, the best way to describe this Mexican holiday is to say that it is a time when Mexican families remember their dead, and the continuity of life.
For most American’s their Tuesday morning on September 11, 2001 started off like any other week day. Families were doing their normal routine taking their children to school and heading off to work within hours may people would be participating in un- thought of duties. No one had any idea that by the end of the day what seemed like a normal Tuesday would forever be remembered in American history. Within minutes of 8:46 AM all Americans would know that this was not a normal Tuesday. This day would hold not one, but four attempted terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda on the United States. Two attacks on the World Trade Center, one attack on the Pentagon, and a failed attempt on the White House.
Have you heard of a day dedicated to laughing at death? Where people visit cemeteries and believe to be dining with past loved ones.
In Seven Days That Divide the World, John C. Lennox, Lennox explains creation based off of the book of Genesis and science. In the first chapter, Lennox explains the theories as to whether or not the earth moves. He also references people such as, astronomer Nicholas Copernicus, philosopher Aristotle, Martin Luther, Galileo, and John Calvin. Throughout history, it has been argued as to whether or not the earth moves, or if it is fixed in space and the sun, moon, and other planets orbit around the earth. Lennox explains the theories of the different people mentioned earlier and why they thought what they thought. Scientist tended to believe the earth moved and everything else stood still. However, many Christians believed that the earth stood
"Terrorist Attacks in the U.S. or Against Americans." Infoplease. Infoplease, 2 Sept. 2014. Web. 07 Nov. 2014.
...ng the gaps between cultures. We honor those who have fallen fighting for America on Memorial Day. The second Monday of October could be used to honor and remember those that fell before America rather than honoring the man who fell them.
It was 11:45pm on a gloomy Monday night, and an excited Cynthia was putting the finishing touches on her sky blue baby shower invitations. Cynthia worked up a sweat from all of this activity, and then suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. At that moment she immediately woke her husband Matthew with a loud shrill that sounded like “The baby is coming!”. Matthew thought he was still dreaming until he felt a hard thud on the top of his head, and opened his eyes to his wife’s pale face that was as bright as a ghost. Matthew did not know what to think, this was his first child, his first everything and he was nowhere near ready to become a new father. Matthew still had a lot of bottled in information about himself that he has yet