A day which will live in infamy

I don't think anyone ever thought that the words of President Roosevelt would resound with such significance decades later. Each generation is marked with some historical occurrence. For some it was Vietnam, for others the Cold War, but for most of us it was 9/11. It is situations like these that people have the greatest recollection of exactly what they were doing and where they were then the event (s) happened. For me I was in my broadcast media class working on a project when the teacher said that the World Trade Centers had been hit. Confusion and denial spread through-out the room. I remember a classmate of mine crying because she had family that lived and worked close to the trade. The news was turned on in time to capture the crashing of the second plane. It is in moments like these that the true American spirit is seen. The diversifications that make America what it is were diminished. Diversification was not a dividing factor but rather one of unity. For many America represented an opportunity for the betterment of their life circumstances. September 11 was a reminder that not everyone shares or believes in the American dream about freedom. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom from governmental oppression, freedom from oppressive discrimination based on gender, and freedom from persecution of your faith to name a few. Abe Lincoln said it best when he stated "a house divided will fall but a house united will stand." There is a challenge within that statement. A challenge to allow various viewpoints to be held but no so much as to divide the country. Three cords are harder to break than one. America is unique in the essence that it has managed to allow assorted stances to be taken yet managed to keep the country in tact. It is often said that you don't know what you have until its gone. September 11th reminded the American people that freedom comes at a price that has been paid and is being paid. More importantly it reminded Americans about the little things that we take for granted. It was magnificent to see people minimize their political stances and biases for one that depicted to the world that America is united and will continue to be. At the end of the day regardless of your social-economic factor, your lifestyle, your political views, you are an American and that is what matters the most.
September 11th also brought about a different lifestyle for America. The prime example of this is the airport. Restrictions are enacted that some may consider a nuisance but others a necessity. Several legislative bills have been passed with direct or indirect correlation to 9/11. The thing that comes to mind in evaluating the effects of 9/11 is the modern dilemma between freedom and order. In order to create more order must freedom be sacrificed? Or in order for more freedom must order be sacrificed? A balance between the two chords must be reached because too much deviation to one side or another will result in strong opposition.