[Essay by Lail], 12 September 2001

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Jessica Lail

I found out about yesterday's events when I walked into my 11:00 communications class expecting to take an exam. I heard that the test was canceled, and completely clueless, I stopped a guy in my class who said it was "because of everything that has happened." Still confused I asked what had happened. He replied that we'd been attacked and that the World Trade Center and Pentagon had been hit. It was unbelievable. I felt so bad, and I couldn't get over how I had been in anthropology class, completely oblivious to everything.

My first thoughts centered around my sister and her boyfriend. He is stationed at Ft. Bragg and he's the parotropper. I was very concerned about how my sister would deal with the fear to her boyfriend, whom she has dated for several years, could be sent away to fight if we go to war.

I immediately got into my car and headed home. I listen to the radio on the way trying to learn as much as I could. By the time I got home and started watching the news, both the WTC towers had collapsed, the Pentagon had been hit, and the fourth plane had crashed in PA Pennsylvania .

All of these events made me mad and upset. I had the urge to cry, because it was so unbelievable that all this

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could take place in America. In our country we sometimes feel superior and we think that we're invensable invincible . This terrorist act proved otherwise. It showed the entire country, and the entire world, how even America can be vulnerable. As they played, and replayed the videos of the 2nd plane crashing into the World trade center, I watched in shock. No matter how many times I saw it, it seemed to carry the same emotion as the first.

It was truly devastating to know that so many people, civilians in our country were wounded and dead. I couldn't understand why anyone would do such a thing. Innocent people who got up and went to work on 9/11 just to die. And for what? Who knows. I just hope that when we know who did this we take action and make them wish they hadn't messed with the United States.

Citation :	Lail, Jessica. Essay written for Dr. Karin Zipf's HIST 3140 "Women in American History" class, 12 September 2001
Location :	Special Collections, Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 USA
Call Number :	September 11, 2001 Collection #885 Display Collection Guide


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Jessica Lail, [Essay by Lail], 12 September 2001