September 11th

I learned a lot of things and grew as a person in uncountable ways while traveling and living in Europe - but one thing I took back home with me was a huge sense of pride in the fact that I am an American. Before living abroad, being an American wasn't as big a part of my identity as it is now that I have returned to the States. Furthermore, for the first time, I finally felt the full reality of 9/11 and feel so hurt and dumbfounded that people could hate us and our country that much.


"How do I respond when I see that in some Islamic countries there is vitriolic hatred for America? I'll tell you how I respond: I'm amazed. I'm amazed that there is such misunderstanding of what our country is about, that people would hate us. I am, I am -- like most Americans, I just can't believe it. Because I know how good we are, and we've go to do a better job of making our case. We've got to do a better job of explaining to the people in the Middle East, for example, that we don't fight a war against Islam or Muslims. We don't hold any religion accountable. We're fighting evil. And these murderers have hijacked a great religion in order to justify their evil deeds. And we cannot let it stand."  -President George W. Bush

May everyone who lost their lives that day and the days following rest in peace.