9/11 Interview Research Paper

During an interview of three family members, I was able to learn more information about the events of 9/11. My mom, Jamie Goldman, was the first person I interviewed. She told me she was helping a friend with her new business in Aiken, SC. She first heard on the radio, breaking news, that a plane had flown into one of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center. Her first thought was that a plane had crashed accidentally. As the day went on, she learned of even more horrible acts against our country, and then realized our Nation was under attack from terrorist. My mom was heartbroken, scared, sad, and mad all at the same time. She struggles with forgiving the terrorist but knows that God would want her to forgive them. The song "God Bless the USA" is a song that helps my mom cope with the events of 9/11. My mom did not know anyone personally that was killed or injured on 9/11. She said, "after 9/11, our country has been a country at war. We have stopped loving our neighbors and instead, started judging them."

My second interview was with my grandmother, Jean DeVault.

She was helping with student testing at Jackson Middle School located in Jackson, South Carolina when she first heard of the attacks on the Twin Towers. Her first reaction was disbelief. She said "she had never seen such horrible acts against our country in her lifetime." She did not know anyone personally that died or was injured on 9/11. She said, "you didn't have to know a person to feel the same sadness and loss that everyone else in our country felt on that day." She has since forgiven the terrorist that attacked our country and feels that the events of 9/11 have made us all more aware of what terrorist are and what terrorism is. She turns to her bible to find comfort in dealing with the events of

9/11.

My last interview was with my dad, Jeffery Goldman. On the day of 9/11, he was working day shift at the Bridgestone Firestone Plant located in Aiken, South Carolina. At first, he didn't think the attacks were real. He had overheard a few guys talking about it but had no access to a phone, radio, or television to check it out for himself. As the day went on and more attacks happened, more phone calls came into the plant and he was able to call my mom to verify what had happened. Once he realized it had happened, he was angry and very sad. He said "he was angry at the people doing this and then sad for our country." He didn't know anyone personally harmed or killed on 9/11. Every time he hears the song by Allan Jackson 'Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" he can recall every sad and horrible event of that day. He has not forgiven the terrorist but hopes to be able to do that one day. He said, " since 9/11, our country has changed for the worst and we should all be fearful of more attacks."

I was not born before the horrible events on 9/11, but that day has affected my life since I was born. My parent's and friends talk about our country before 9/11, and they seem happy. Then they talk about our country after the events of 9/11, and I hear sadness, anger, and fear. The before seems so much better than the after. I am afraid of another event like 9/11 on our country, but I have put my faith and trust in God. I know he has a plan for all his people, and I trust in him. God will give me strength when my fear is tested. My prayer is that this country will turn to God for strength and healing.