[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 73 (Thursday, June 6, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            EXPLAINING SEPTEMBER 11TH TO FUTURE 4TH GRADERS

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                           HON. STEVE ISRAEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 2002

  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I commend the following letter to you and 
all of our colleagues. Nicole Bansen read this letter at the 
Lindenhurst Memorial Day Ceremony on May 27, 2002. An elementary school 
student from Long Island, Nicole directed the letter to future 4th 
graders so that they might better understand September 11 based on her 
own experience. Like Nicole, I believe that we must help preserve the 
memory of that tragic day by sharing our stories with future 
generations.

       Dear Future Fourth Grader: September 11, 2001 was a tragic 
     day. I'm writing this letter to tell you what really 
     happened. I was in school when it happened. That was the day 
     that jet planes hit the Twin Towers, and soon both collapsed. 
     Tower One was hit first. Within the next hour, Tower Two was 
     also hit. Time seemed to freeze. Everyone just stopped what 
     they were doing to see what happened in disbelief. It was 
     like a nightmare coming true!
       When I found out what had happened, my heart felt like it 
     was shattered, just like the Twin Towers. After school, my 
     brother and Mom told me to watch the news. I turned on the 
     television and saw both planes crashing into the Twin Towers. 
     A friend of our family's worked on the 72nd floor of Tower 
     One. I was afraid that he might be killed, like so many 
     others. He made it out of the building in minutes before it 
     collapsed!
       I was affected by this tragedy in a sad way because I will 
     not see the Twin Towers anymore, and so many innocent people 
     died. In the future, people should never forget this day, and 
     always remember all the people who died. I believe parents 
     should tell their children the truth about what happened when 
     they are old enough to understand, so they aren't frightened. 
     Your friends and you will learn about this day in your Social 
     Studies class in school, if your parents didn't already tell 
     you about it.
       I hope this terrorist act never happens again. Hopefully 
     you will never know the ``evil'' word, terrorism. But, if 
     something like this does happen again, I am sure that 
     everyone will be very sad. I am so glad to be an American, 
     because of our freedom and people staying united through 
     difficult times.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Nicole Bansen.

     

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