Last month Vice President and Senator of Associated Students of Norco College, Ben Vargas and Karen Rai set up a booth in the memory of the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago.
The booth was meant for Norco College students to show that they remember and still care for those who lost their lives and those who continue to fight for our freedom.
“I was so young I didn’t understand what was going on,” said Rai. “Now, after knowing how important this was, it’s sad to know that many don’t remember. That’s why we put together the booth to show that we remember what happened and that we still care.”
To attract the attention of students, the walkway leading to the booth was lined with American flags, and all around campus 1,000 flags were placed. At the booth ASNC placed a memory book on the table that was started in 2006. The purpose of the book has been to allow Norco students to write their experiences of the tragic event, whether it was about family members still fighting the war or people that they knew who lost their lives on Sept. 11 2001.
The booth was set up 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. During this time students crowded around the booth, each taking the handouts of poems that were read aloud by Associate Professor Michael Cluff earlier and listening to the Music Professor Dina Humble sing the Star Spangled Banner.
“So many were interested in what was going on,” said Rai. “I heard so many stories about family members that are out fighting and how they will never forget what happened.”
After the final hour of the booth, a moment of silence lasted from 1:30 to 2 p.m. in memory of the 2,983 lives lost on that day. ASNC also played a video in the Center of Student Success of the 9/11 footage.
“I believe that the booth helped bring people to realize the seriousness of what happened 10 years ago and the reason we are still at war,” said Rai.
It wasn’t until six months ago that most minds were finally rested when the death of Osama Bin Laden occurred on May 1, 2011. Though there were outbursts of how we should be ashamed to celebrate a man’s death, the peace his death brought was outweighed.
“I was glad that it was finally over and that we got to the bottom of it,” said Rai. “But I believe that many are entitled to their own opinion about his death and whether we should still be at war or not because many families have someone that is fighting overseas and all they really want is for them to come home.”
After 10 years the site of Ground Zero has been turned away from tragedy, and into a place of renewal and remembrance. For the first time since the attack, civilians were welcomed back onto the site where the memorial of two fountains, engraved in the names of those lost, stand in the exact spot of the two towers that had fallen to the ground. Thousands surrounded the area in tears and memories, while all around the world the memory of that day pierced at hearts.
“I will never forget the fear and shock that ran through me as I watched those planes collide with the World Trade Center,” said Norco College student Amy Cyr.
