The Great Americans.
As a child, I learned early on that to succeed in this society you have to make it on your own. I had heard, on numerous occasions, that most people would rather see you struggle than help you. I knew people could not be as bad as I had always heard. On September 11, 2001, I changed the way I thought about the people of this country. .
Walking through the halls of my High School after I had heard the news that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center, I had mixed emotions and feelings. Being only seventeen years old, I did not comprehend or understand the magnitude of the events that had just taken place. I had never been to New York City, and I had only read and seen pictures of the "Twin Towers," so the idea of a plane crashing into a building was something that I could not even begin to comprehend. .
As the day went on, and I learned more and more about the events that were taking place all across America, I started to realize that these happenings were much more significant than I had first imagined. After watching countless hours of news coverage, and hearing about the innumerable lives that were lost, I felt a great sense of hurt and anger towards the perpetrators of these horrible acts.
In the days, weeks and months that followed this great tragedy, a new sense of patriotism was awakened in this country and in me. The American people rose up together and in one voice proclaimed that although the terrorists had hurt us, they could never break us. .
The events of September 11 were so tragic, and America suffered such a great loss, but in the end it truly brought out the best in the American people. I personally feel proud to be an American in every way possible. I have a newfound sense of respect and pride for my country and the people of my country. .
Throughout my life I had always stereotyped "Americans" as being selfish and egotistical, and never concerned with the well being of others.
