By Hilary Ingoldsby

Like many in my generation I can remember my parents telling me their memories of the most important events in their lifetime. They can remember exactly where they were when they heard that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated, and the horror that swept across the nation as they watched the Challenger explode after take-off. Likewise, my grandparents recall vividly hearing the news that Pearl Harbor had been attacked. These events rocked the nation and bonded a country of millions.

Now my generation has been through such an experience.

I can still remember where I was when the Los Angeles jury came back with the not-guilty verdict for O.J. Simpson as I joined the rest of America glued to the television. I remember the poignant and emotional pictures of the Oklahoma City bombing and sitting in the basement of a friend's house hoping that Princess Diana's car crash would not be fatal.

And now on Sept. 11, 2001, over Lucky Charms and orange juice in my college apartment with my roommates, the largest and most traumatic of them all -- the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

We watched in shock and horror as our generation was a part of the biggest act of terrorism on American soil. We watched for over an hour before we had to pry ourselves away from the gripping play-by-play of live TV and head to school.

Campus was much like the apartment I had just left. Televisions and radios were turned on everywhere with students crowded around between and during classes in respectful silence. Professors and students alike found it hard to concentrate on anything other than the tragedy that had unfolded before their eyes and many classes were cancelled or dedicated to discussion of the matter.

So now we wait. We all wait. Our little town in the West didn't keep lives from being touched, keep fear from creeping into our hearts or keep tears from escaping our eyes. We wait with our families, friends and news anchors who have become part of our daily lives and routines. Some still wait in agony for news on loved ones and our nation waits for answers. Answers to how and why such a thing happened in our safe haven of the United States of America. Answers to an unsure future with retaliations.

Will this be my generation's World War? Regardless of what happens next, Sept. 11, 2001, will live on as my generation's day of infamy.

I wonder what name will be tagged to the attacks for future history books and moviemakers: Attack on America? Terrorism in America?

I call it "The Day America Stopped." We all stopped and watched and listened. We all stopped and prayed. Travel plans and daily life stopped. Confidence and security stopped. Classes and meaningless conversations stopped.

America stopped and the whole world watched.

MS
MS

September 1998
October 1998

January 1999
February 1999
March 1999
April 1999
September 1999
October 1999
November 1999
December 1999

January 2000
February 2000
March 2000
April 2000
May 2000
June 2000
July 2000
August 2000
September 2000
October 2000
November 2000
December 2000

January 2001
February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
May 2001
June 2001
July 2001
August 2001
September 2001