NewsHour Special Reports: Terrorist Attack

U.S. Response

September 11
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Washington D.C.

Attack Investigation

New York

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Reaction to the attack

Brian
El Cerrito

The problem with terrorists is that they are not so much a collection of people, as they are a mentality. Terrorists have no names, only their cause. Therefore, bloodshed can do nothing to rid our world of terrorism. Antithetically, a move to kill "terrorists" of any nationality will only increase the evil, desperation, and dedication of those who aim to change us. Bin Laden is now a leader, let's not make him a martyr.

Julie Anne
London, England

If at times you feel you want to cry
and life seems such a trail above the clouds
there's a bright blue sky
so make your tears a smile.
As you travel on life's way
with its may ups and downs,
remember it's quite true to say
a smile is worth a dozen frowns.
Among the world's expensive things
a smile is very cheap,
and when you give a smile away
you get one back to keep.
Happiness comes to all,
but sadness comes unbidden,
and sometimes a few tears must fall
among the laughter is hidden.
So when friends have sadness on their face
and troubles round are piled,
the world will seem such a better place
and all because you smiled!

Jason
Bay Shore, NY

Well, I sometimes find myself taking for granted the freedoms of which I possess. I'll complain about traffic and about the doldrums of everyday life. Not taking the time to see the world around me, or connect with people standing right in front of me.

I can work and strive for my future with a freedom of mind, and self-expression unprecedented anywhere else in the world. Yet I still lack the ability to connect with the world around me.

I ask myself and anyone reading this, can this form of self-imposed isolation be the cause, ultimately of the uprising of terrorism? I don't mean isolation in a singular sense; I mean in the mainstream America sense.

The America I know, we know. This America we knew of last week is nowhere near the one we are living in today. We now are in a fight to preserve our entire culture and way of life as a civilization.

The Islamic terrorists have vowed to eliminate the world of democratic peoples, and with that our hopes, dreams, families and furthermore, our peace of mind. Whoever it was or is that plotted and designed such an attack on the United States wants us to be in fear, and I think wants us to rush into a war.

I do though, without resignation, think we need to eradicate the world of any kind of terrorism. But are we taking enough time to figure out the implications of such an action? I have so much to say but I'm not sure how realistic my comments can be at times so I'll remain reserved. But I will let it be known: No terrorist is going to destroy my world and my way of life, and if it comes down to it I will die fighting for our freedom.

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