Remembering 9/11 & what it taught us

Editor,

On Sept. 11, 2001, I had just finished teaching a dance aerobics class and went into the women’s locker room to change. On the radio, I heard what I thought was an updated version of Orson Welles’s famous 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast, based on H.G. Wells’s novel published in 1898.

I quickly realized this was not fiction. It was real life.

I immediately called my child’s school to ask if they wanted me to come and help contact parents about picking up their children early. I was told, “No. School will run the normal course of the day.” I then went to give blood.

Every time the television showed those horrible pictures of the towers collapsing, I turned my head. Once was more than enough. Even 25 years later, I still get tears in my eyes when I remember watching those images.

But I remember something else about that terrible time. America came together. We were united. We put aside our political differences and focused on what we had in common. We were determined to protect our freedom, help our neighbors and defend the country we loved.

Where are we today? We have never seemed more polarized. Too often, we allow political parties and labels to divide us and forget that, before we are Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans.

This Sept. 11, let us remember not only the nearly 3,000 innocent people who lost their lives, but also the spirit of unity that emerged afterward. Let us share those memories with our young people who were too young to remember September 11, 2001, or who were not yet born.

Let us teach them that democracy and freedom are not guaranteed. They require citizens who are willing to participate, stay informed and accept the responsibilities that come with living in a free country.

One of those responsibilities is voting. As November approaches, let us do our homework. Research the candidates. Learn where they stand on the issues. Listen beyond the political slogans and consider who will best represent our communities and our country. Do not vote simply because of a political party. Know the issues. Be an informed voter. Be a responsible citizen. And go out and vote.

Perhaps one of the best ways we can honor the spirit of Sept. 11 is to remember what brought us together and work to find that common ground again. We are Americans first. Let us never forget that.

Tish Michel
Ocean City