A child’s birthday is a time for celebration and happiness. Birthdays mean cake, presents and having fun with family and friends. This year my sister didn’t have a birthday. On Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, my sister Kari turned 13, but there was no celebration. Instead of blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, she was left wondering why people would attack the country she calls home. The meaning of my sister’s birthday has now forever changed, and so has America.
We may never be able to hear a plane fly overhead without stretching our necks to see where it is going. We can no longer comfortably sit on an airplane when it goes through a pocket of turbulence. Going up into a skyscraper now requires a second thought, as does walking underneath one. Checking in for a flight or crossing the border may now take hours instead of minutes. The phrase “Breaking News” now will send a shiver up our spine.
Fear, though, should not be the only change. Not long after the World Trade Center towers crumbled to the ground, America responded. People were risking their own lives just on the short hope they could help someone they had never met. In a time where family budgets were beginning to tighten, enough money was found to make that small donation that would mean so much. Then there were those who simply raised the American flag and said a prayer.
This is the America that the original patriots of our country fought for. Not the one where parents punch Little League umpires, frivolous lawsuits tie up the courts and the welfare system is abused. The way we heal from the wound created by the four hijacked airplanes is what being an American is all about.
For our generation, this is the first time our livelihood as Americans has been severely threatened. For us, America is now a country where “The Star-Spangled Banner” isn’t immediately followed by the words “play ball,” but rather a moment of reflection. The American flag is now much more than just a holiday decoration — it is a symbol of pride, respect and remembrance.
The easiest way to kill the giant is to attack it while it is already down. As Americans, we can never afford our freedom to look vulnerable. It isn’t a coincidence that these acts of terrorism occurred on the brink of a recession, a national election that made us look like fools, and years upon years of members of Congress appearing to do nothing but bicker with each other. Our country must now put bipartisanship behind us. It doesn’t matter if you voted for Al Gore, Ralph Nader or even Pat Buchanan last November. George W. Bush is our president now, and his decisions must be respected. America is a place where free expression is allowed and encouraged, but there is a point when it begins to untie the strength of our country.

This is why the American flags that now cover our country must fly forever. We already fly flags at our schools, government buildings and stadiums, and they should remain on the backs of our favorite athletes, on the porches of our homes and on the antennae of our cars. Every day when we look at the flag, we should all be grateful for the simple things that we enjoy in this country, and we should do it together as one.
Sept. 11, 2001, will always be remembered as the day American freedom was threatened, but it will also be remembered as the day America grew stronger. What happened on Sept. 11 shouldn’t be remembered just once a year. That is what birthdays are for. It should be remembered every day when we look at the American flag and think of those Americans who died when someone tried to take our freedom away.