The Way We Were :: American America History

The Way We Were As you listen to the news, radio, or read a newspaper, you notice one thing in common after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City--unity. New Yorkers have known to be "hard-ass'" and the rudest people you'll ever meet. Self-indulged in their own world, they knocked people down who stood between them and the next step ahead of them. We, as Americans, felt the effect of the destruction all over the nation, although it didn't happen in our hometown. Most people either knew someone, or knew someone who knew of someone that worked in the WTC building or were on those flights. Not until our safety was raped from us did we stop to unite, as a country, to help those in need. America is known as "the land of opportunities." Therefore, we are taught that to obtain our cultural goals, we must try to achieve them by almost any means necessary. America was a very self-absorbed country. For instance, look at the 80's, that era named "the era of greed." We're a very wealthy country; with wealth comes greed. We like to keep money in our pockets at all times--meaning we always want to have money. Everywhere you look now, there it is, the American flag: our symbol of pride. "One nation, under God with liberty and justice for all." We have become united as a nation. The American Red Cross has raised millions of dollars with the help of normal, everyday citizens. Celebrities have joined together and held telethons to raise millions of dollars also. The American flag has been in such high demands all over the country that they're almost impossible to find in stores. From car washes to simple donation buckets in supermarkets, everywhere you go people are contributing. Before the 9/11 attacks, one would never have doubts about who's on the same flight as you, or feeling compelled to wash your hands after touching the mail. We took for granted what most people don't have--freedom. The freedom to walk down the street without the fear of seeing a terrorist act and living without the fears of being on a national heighted security alert for more terrorist attacks. Hell, we're "the land of the free," or perhaps we took for granted that we really were. Because of these attacks, many people are having second thought about doing many everyday things.