The Day of Infamy

The Day of Infamy

Erupting on a crisp September morning, terrorist attacks bring America to a standstill. As the day began, it was an average Tuesday morning and New Yorkers as well as the rest of United States Citizens had no idea that in a matter of moments their city and their lives would be changed forever. People were doing what they had done thousands of times before. Some were on their way to work; while others were sitting at their desks, checking e-mail, sipping coffee or reading the morning paper. Out of the clear blue sky an airplane was hijacked and was heading for the twin tower. People heard an approaching noise and then all of a sudden a loud explosion! The twin towers of the World Trade Center were the symbols of Americas prosperity. Dr. Stefan Pasternack, a clinical professor of Georgetown University who specializes in the impact of terrorism and murder says: Its one thing to think of a truck blowing up in front of a building. This involved the use of civilian aircraft-the imagery is much more frightening. What we see here is what terrorism is all about. The idea is to make people feel that they cannot feel protected by their government (Black Tuesday 20). With World War II being a fight for national survival, terrorism is the struggle to preserve national values and stand for what we, as Americans, believe. As president Bush stated, Terrorists attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America (Black Tuesday 12). The attacks on our nation nearly brought America to a halt. Around the world security was tightened. Air travel stopped, businesses closed and government facilities were evacuated Tuesday morning of September eleventh. For the first time in United States history, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shut down air traffic nationwide. There were many incoming flights from around the world, carrying anywhere from four thousand to six thousand passengers, that were diverted to Canada. Authorities shut down all the tunnels and bridges in and out of New York City. All train services were shut down and many shipping ports were also closed down. The most memorable image of September eleventh was the Twin Towers that were engulfed in smoke and flames. Over and over the Towers flashed across Television screens and on the front pages of newspapers.