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By Scott Leuthold It was around 9:15 a.m. It was a typical weekday morning at our house. I remember I was sitting behind my home office computer answering email messages. My son, then 2, was watching morning cartoons in the family room when suddenly the telephone rang. It was my mother-in-law. She was very upset. She asked me to turn to a local news station on the television. When I flipped the channel I couldn't believe what I saw. My mother-in-law, like others her age, grew up during a time when war was commonplace in our country. She believed that this event was the beginning of a serious and hostile time. She turned out to be right. Foreign terror had arrived on American soil. The weapon of choice was none other than US commercial jets loaded with fuel and innocent people. For weeks following the attacks the world watched as more lives were lost. Many of the brave souls who made it their responsibility to search for survivors fell victim to the collapsing rubble. Few bodies were recovered leaving many families with questions and no answers. A term often used loosely in our society regained its importance as stories of true "heroes" emerged. Time had nearly come to a stand still. The issues our government faced before the attacks seemed to pale in comparison to this new and urgent dilemma. Leaders like New York Mayor, Rudolph Giuliani showed their true colors, shining like a beacon in a dark and gloomy sky. It was then that I finally came to appreciate our country's new President. Though I voted otherwise, I believed at that moment the stronger man had survived the elections. I, along with the majority of my fellow citizens, gained confidence in Bush to do what is right for our country. Since that time, controversy has risen about how these events transpired. What did the government know and could something have been done to prevent what had happened? Regardless, George W. Bush has proven his ability to calm and instill confidence in a nervous American public. He has proven, to me at least, he can rise to the challenges our great country faces. Over the past year Americans have opened their eyes to terror. We have also found a new love for our country and a closeness to our neighbors that once was neglected by many. This was the first event of its kind that I can remember in my lifetime. When I was born, America was recovering from Vietnam, but I was too young to remember it. My generation had been spared the burden of experiencing conflict of this nature until last year. I'm not dismissing the seriousness of the bombing in Oklahoma City or the siege in Waco. These heinous crimes committed by Americans against Americans, though equally alarming, seemed to me to be issues our government could resolve. The 911 attacks were different. They were committed by individuals most of us know little about. They were members of an organization without defining borders our country can invade. They were people living in our own communities preparing to commit crimes for a cause we do not understand. My brother was in the military as I went through high school and college. He was sent to Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm. He and I have shared many conversations on our frequent hiking trips about his experiences in that war. Though my own brother experienced it first hand, Desert Storm seemed so far away. It just didn't seem to directly affect life here. Until recently, the tragedies in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania had seemed to fade a bit. Arizonans have had our own share of tragedy to contend with. The Rodeo/Chedeski Fire seemed to engulf our attention and emotions almost as furiously as the fire itself. It still occupies the lives of many here. My own family was directly affected by the fire. It definitely hit home. The anniversary of the attacks has brought the spotlight back upon what happened one year ago. It reminds us how valuable our freedom is. It makes us stop and consider what life would be like without it. It makes us appreciate what we have and those who risk their lives everyday to protect our families, our homes, and our way of life. Like those who lost their lives in conflicts of our past, the thousands of victims of September 11, 2001, and their families, sacrificed a great deal for all of us. Their loss opened the eyes of all Americans. Their sacrifice should not and will not be forgotten. Have something to share? Take a moment to comment about 9/11 on our Message Board. Fountain Hills Ceremonies Veterans Memorial Groundbreaking
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Unveiling 911 Memorial Ceremony
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