Remember 9/11 - 20 years later

20 years ago this day I was walking into my 1st period AP English Literature class like every other day. The TV was on and I turned to my neighbor and asked, "So movie day today?" Some whispered to me and said, "No, this is happening right now!" 😲😲😲!!! (Also, this is probably one of the top 10 dumbest thing that has ever left my mouth!)

For the rest of the class period we sat there in shock. Scenes from 9/11 was put on replay - planes crashing into the twin towers, the collapsed of the towers, people running away, shouting, screaming. I remembered there were parents that called the school to pick up their kids. We drifted from one class to the next class, staring at the TV, no class really went on that day.

As a senior in high school it was difficult to grasp what happened that day. It seemed surreal, as it was only something that can only be concocted in a movie. I remember us going into war against Afghanistan, then Iraq (during my freshman year in college), I remembered fearing for my friend Peter as I was the one that suggested to him to go join the military after high school (since he has no interest in school) and he did. I was worried to death as I thought about how would I face his mom if anything were to happen to him. Thankfully he joined the navy and was a cook there (probably as safe as you can get when it comes to war assignment). 

 

As a history teacher, I make it a point to always talk about 9/11 on 9/11. In the past, we talked about our shared experience, other times I will just play a news clip talking about it. For the past few years, 9/11 has truly become a historical event that was only shared by people my age and happened years after the current batches of students are born. I can talk about how things changed after 9/11. All the extra security measures that we go through at the airport today was not a thing prior to that day. 

In a recent PBS documentary - America After 9/11 (highly recommended!), it talks about well... 9/11 but also how that era actually ended with the Capitol insurrection on 1/6/2021. The documentary discusses how 9/11 led to the current polarization in politics, distrust in government, mainstream media, etc. 

After 6 years away from my adopted country, the wife and I sometimes wonder if we are able to still move back one day. Increasing housing prices, increasing living costs, increasing violence, increasing polarization. I guess we can never go back to how suburb Rancho Cucamonga life was in 2015, I wonder what will be there for us when we move back eventually, or will we even?