By: John Stegeman

Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, 911, a day which shall be remembered as the new “Day of Infamy,” the new “Black Tuesday,” the day the Statue of Liberty dropped her torch and her book to weep. Not far from where the majestic woman stands, the skyline of the world’s greatest city was horrifically altered forever. The death toll of the cowardly attacks has been estimated around 5,000. 5,000 people who will never come home from work, who suffered and died all because they showed up to work on time. How many of their loved ones sat at home waiting for their husband, wife, sister, brother, son, daughter, mother, or father on that fateful day? How many waited for days holding on to last hope? And how many must wait until eternity to be reunited with those they loved? One report says that a woman on a floor above where a plane struck on one of the World Trade Center Towers called her son from her cell phone and said, “We’re going to die here, we can’t get out.” Soon after, her cell phone died, and most likely so did she.

As of the time of this writing the number of casualties is not certain. Currently 5,000 people remain unaccounted for and around 200 have been confirmed dead. As the death toll continues to mount so does the anger felt by the American people. The call for vengeance grows louder with each tale of a doomed passenger's last words to loved ones via cell phone. America is mourning now; we are in a state of shock. A great wrong has been committed against our nation and those responsible are herby warned. We want you...Dead or Alive!

We in the United States are suffering from one of the most serious losses in our history. Yes, this is a loss, but it is not a defeat. This is a tragic loss of lives. America has not lost the battle, has not lost the war, and more importantly has not lost its fighting spirit. This catastrophe goes beyond any act of war, and as citizens of this strong nation we must stand united in the face of those who have caused this terrible disaster and say, as our President, George Bush said, “We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail.” The American Spirit dwells deep within us all, and that spirit, has a broken wing. We all feel the pain, thus the responsibility to mend our wing falls upon each one of us. Our wounds will heal, justice shall be ours, and we will fly again.

The guilty parties behind these unspeakable deeds of devastation will know who we are. For when they look into the eyes of every American soldier, they will see a reflection of each human being whose life was prematurely ended at their hands. Our boys in olive green, our few and proud, our sea bound soldiers, and our warriors in the air, will carry with them the soul of every son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, husband, and wife who never made it home that fateful day of September 11, 2001. I believe that I speak for the majority of the nation and the student body here at West High when I say; May our bombs strike their targets, may the world join our cause, may we all stand united, and may God bless America, with liberty and justice for all.