LETTER: USA’s strength is resilience

Editor,

I am not trying to downplay the tragic events that took place in our country on Sept. 11, 2001.

However, I am a firm believer in allowing people to move on in their lives. After reading an article in Friday’s Statesman in reference to a memorial for Sept. 11, I realized that instead of sensationalizing the thousands of victims of that day, we should instead as a country celebrate the survivors.

I refused that day to participate in any activities, because I didn’t want to attend a funeral and I don’t want that day to forever be a funeral. I know that it has only been a year and yes, probably something should have been done on that day to commemorate. However, I don’t think it should be an annual funeral.

The great thing about this country is our resilience to bounce back. I know some people may say, “But that day left thousands of people husbandless, fatherless and friendless.”

I am positive that between foundations such as the American Red Cross, the Firemen fund, insurance claims etc., the families of those victims will be financially remembered for generations. And although money doesn’t compensate for a lost one, think of all those people who survived. Think of how they must feel that they survived and Johnny in the cubical next to them didn’t.

So I challenge us as a country to look for the positive, stop watching all the negative news media, and move on with our lives.

Suzanne Poindexter