Remembering 9/11

Gr 7 Up—A decade has passed since the act of terror that defined the United States in terms of a new awareness of vulnerability and by the efforts and sacrifice of first responders and others. This lengthy program describes events from the morning when 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners and flew suicide missions into two towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and possibly heading to the Capitol or White House, the last plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. The documentary is assembled from archival news footage and interviews with survivors and responders. A portion of the film focuses on the individual hijackers and the inception of al-Qaeda. Osama Bin Laden is also shown as the key figure in recruiting unemployed young men in Afghanistan in the 1980's to join in a holy war, or Jihad, and in making a statement of war in 1998 that was followed by the 2000 attack on the USS Cole. This background information is very helpful in providing an historical understanding of the attacks. Most of the program, however, focuses on the chronology of September 11, 2001, in a minute-by-minute account of the collapsing towers, casualties, response, personal recollections, and stories of courage. Details about bucket brigades, unstable debris, and heroic rescues are riveting and the emotional toll will not be lost on students, most too young to remember the event. The program may be too lengthy for one or even two class periods, and should be previewed for relevant segments.—Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia Jr. Sr. High School, NY