Never Forget

I was in my first period Biology class in my senior year of high school.  Lindsey was sitting to my left, Sarah was sitting to my right.  Our teacher, Coach Jones, tried to quiet us down since everyone was chattering about the news. He didn't discourage us from discussing what happened, but he did tell us that we needed to focus on reviewing for our test that week.  Coach Carnes stopped by a few minutes after class started to say that another plane had hit the Pentagon.  Throughout the day, there was a hushed sense of foreboding in the hallways.  No one yet knew who was behind the horrendous acts of terrorism that morning, although rumors were rampant.  In my 5th period government class with Mr. Hughes, we watched the CNN coverage of the towers falling; the footage ran on repeat over and over.

I will never forget that day, and words cannot express how thankful I am to live in a country where freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom to pursue my own happiness is not only legal, but encouraged.  There has been recent news coverage of a narrow-minded pastor in Florida who wants to burn the Koran, the holy book of the Muslim faith, in protest of the tragedies that occurred nine years ago on this date.  I pray that God opens his heart, and the hearts of each of us, to see that hatred only begets more hatred.