By Tonya Whitaker
NDG Staff Writer
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., time has allowed me gain a better understanding of what happened that day. It has also provided me an appreciation for my country. Many times, I am highly critical of it. But, our reaction to one horrific day is hope that the inhabitants of this great nation can get along and come together. It is sad that tragedy has to pull us together, but God allows things – whether good or bad – to happen to make us realize the error of our ways.
Sept. 11 reminds me of how a family comes together for the death of a family member. After we reunite to say good bye to our loved one, we go back to our daily lives. Days, months and years after 9/11, we supposed and consoled one another. Then, once the recession hit and people began to lose their jobs, we began to worry about our own lives and situations. Our sense of family escaped us. There was enough blame to span the globe. A bit of our togetherness resurfaced in May with the death of al-Qaeda leader and 9-11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Beside that, the nation was embattled in a war with each other. But, 9/11/2011 is here. It is time for us to become a family again. Republicans, Democrats, and the Tea Party remember. African Americans, Anglo American, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans remember.
The memory of the Sept. 11 that imprints in my mind happened a couple days after the attack. I worked as a ticket taker for the Texas Rangers ball club. I worked part-time there on my days off from my full-time job as a sports copy editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Besides taking tickets, I had to check the purses and bags of fans for violations, such as slipping beer into Rangers Ballpark. People used to complain like mad. I got accused of treating little old ladies like criminals, violating their rights and creating longer lines. After Sept. 11, all major sports arenas implemented stricter checks of materials brought into these venues. I cannot recall how long immediately after 9/11 the Rangers games were cancelled, but as soon as games resumed I worked the entrance gate. Do you know that no one complained about standing in long lines because we had to search purses and bags? Many people feared for their safety after 9/11, and the fans were more than willing to brave the line in the goal of safety. Some people thanked us for doing our part to make the ballpark and its visitors safe.
I have faith that we all can get along and put our differences aside. Are we going to go back to our old ways on Sept. 12? My fellow Americans, let’s not take another 15- or 20-year anniversary of 9/11 to realize that we can get along.
