Close your eyes and try to remember. I bet each of you know exactly where you were and what you were doing that day. As for my family, we were sitting at the kitchen table eating French toast while watching Good Morning America. A breaking news report came in about a possible plane crash at the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As we were watching the report we saw another plane crash into the second tower. My mother tells me she knew from that moment forward things would never be the same. The whole world changed in the blink of an eye. My sister and I were only small children when it happened, but we too could sense the seriousness of that day. People all over America stopped what they were doing and watched the tragic events
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On September 12, 2001 Americans from all walks of life put aside their differences and became united in their resolve to protect their freedom and way of life. Fast forward 14 years. After a decade and a half of war, economic hard times, political polarization, and a general feeling of apathy and distrust towards the government, there is an increasing divide between Americans along class, social, and racial lines. We are more fragmented than ever. As a high school student on the cusp of adulthood, I fear for my country if we continue on this path. Abraham Lincoln once said “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” I think the divide that exists today among Americans poses a bigger threat in destroying our country than terrorist groups like ISIS or Al Qaeda. My vision for America is that we reignite that sense of patriotism and unity among all Americans so that together we can overcome our difficulties, protect our way of life, and ensure that freedom will continue for generations to …show more content…
Our country was not forged by the weak, but by strong men with heart, passion, and unshakable determination. These founding fathers planted the seeds of democracy when they bravely pledged their life to declare their independence from King George. After a long, bloody war the seeds turned into a young sapling that was further reinforced and strengthened when “We the People” set forth the framework for our country with the drafting of the Constitution. This sapling blossomed and grew over the next 239 years into a majestic Oak with deep roots. Like in the growth rings of an old Oak tree, America has experienced times of great growth, times of stunted growth and times of disease and damage. Look at a headline from any point in time over the last 239 years and you will see many of the same problems that plague our nation
On September 12, 2001 Americans from all walks of life put aside their differences and became united in their resolve to protect their freedom and way of life. Fast forward 14 years. After a decade and a half of war, economic hard times, political polarization, and a general feeling of apathy and distrust towards the government, there is an increasing divide between Americans along class, social, and racial lines. We are more fragmented than ever. As a high school student on the cusp of adulthood, I fear for my country if we continue on this path. Abraham Lincoln once said “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” I think the divide that exists today among Americans poses a bigger threat in destroying our country than terrorist groups like ISIS or Al Qaeda. My vision for America is that we reignite that sense of patriotism and unity among all Americans so that together we can overcome our difficulties, protect our way of life, and ensure that freedom will continue for generations to …show more content…
Our country was not forged by the weak, but by strong men with heart, passion, and unshakable determination. These founding fathers planted the seeds of democracy when they bravely pledged their life to declare their independence from King George. After a long, bloody war the seeds turned into a young sapling that was further reinforced and strengthened when “We the People” set forth the framework for our country with the drafting of the Constitution. This sapling blossomed and grew over the next 239 years into a majestic Oak with deep roots. Like in the growth rings of an old Oak tree, America has experienced times of great growth, times of stunted growth and times of disease and damage. Look at a headline from any point in time over the last 239 years and you will see many of the same problems that plague our nation