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REFLECTION
Despite The Horrors of 9/11, I’m Proud That I Didn’t Serve My Country
In the wake of a national tragedy, our fear became a weapon of war
I remember seeing those planes crash into the twin towers. At that time, we sat in our 8th-grade history class, which doubled as our homeroom. Each morning, Mrs. Landrieu turned on the news. For a few moments, we nosily unpacked our bags, waiting for class to begin. We never expected to see an American tragedy unfold before our very eyes.
Until then, none of us really understood why our history teacher kept turning our tiny tv set on each morning. After all, my public school did not teach Civics. So, in essence, we were not taught or expected to consider current events as relevant in an academic sense.
Instead, they kept our heads so immersed in texts about bits of the past they wanted us to learn about. But, that day felt unavoidably surreal. Finally, as those planes crashed into each tower, her lesson became crystal clear.
On that Tuesday, I wore my Air Force ROTC uniform, and I felt personally triggered. As we looked on, horrified at the destruction and loss of life, I wondered about my own role as an American prepared to join the Air Force. In the days and weeks after the attack, George Bush and…
