By Hadassa Ferreira, Contributing Writer
The year is 2023 and even 22 years after the catastrophic terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, the United States continues to revisit the painful memory of that day. The whole world suffered the agony of watching the horror that killed 2,996 people in an attack divided into four steps. Four crashes, four airplanes transformed into bombs, four hijackings rocked the world.
“It was a very sad and shocking fact that crossed the whole world. Like everyone knew about it,” says Judrich Raphael, a sophomore majoring in computer science. “Even being an international student from Haiti, I know the history of 9/11 to the point of feeling remorseful about it.”
At 8:45 a.m., the attack executed by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists began. The first target was the North Tower of the World Trade Center. An American Airlines airplane that was hijacked by terrorist from several Arabic nations, crashed with the North Tower of the Seven Buildings complex in the financial district of Manhattan.
The second move happened 18 minutes later (the burning hole near the North Tower’s 80th floor was opened). The South Tower was hit by another American Airlines Boeing 767, this time, close to the 60th floor.
Forty-two minutes later, the third attack happened, hitting the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters. The hijacked American Airlines airplane made a turn in downtown Washington and crashed in the Pentagon, leaving 125 people dead.
Thanks to the braveness of 44 patriotic Americans who were on board American Airlines Flight 93, the fourth attack, which intended to target the White House, was impeached. Due to a delay in the departure of the flight, the passengers of Flight 93 could be aware of the terrorist attack that was happening in the country.
So, they were able to take back control of the airplane that flipped over and hit a rural area in Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. Those 44 passengers started the fight against terrorism when they decided to fight back and take control of the plane. Twenty-two years later, the U.S. continues to thank them for their actions.
The attack financed by Osama Bin Laden had the intention to transmit a message to the U.S.after their support for the nation of Israel. There were several threats that the U.S. could not understand the dimension at the time, which allowed the tragedy to happen. After the attack, the U.S. started the invasion of Afghanistan.
I want to do more research. “I am a criminal justice major, so I want to know how the FBI affected it and the other government programs,” says Nichelle Sweeney, a sophomore at Saint Leo studying criminal justice.
She also says: “It is a very interesting topic, and we should continue this discussion for many years to come.”
The day of 9/11 needs to be remembered forever due to the impact that it caused, not only in American history but in the world’s history. The world faced several changes after that moment: diplomatic changes, international security changes, financial changes, and ideological changes. May the entire world remember and honor all those who fought that day and who innocently lost their lives.
