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Signboards let students vent Sept. 11 emotions

By Abbey Lechner
IV Leader Staff, Oct. 2, 2003

    What were you doing on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001? Most people can probably answer this question. Although the Twin Towers were located many miles away from the Illinois Valley, in many cases the attacks hit close to home.
    In commemoration of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, the Diversity Team at IVCC organized a signboard to be displayed for students and faculty to express their thoughts and emotions. 
    The reason for displaying the signboard was explained by instructor Merri Mattison, co-chair of the Diversity Team, who commented that it showed much “diversity and demonstrated that the tragedy touched everyone around the world, not just Americans.” 
    She added that “the board also served an important purpose of gathering information for an upcoming panel discussion.” 
    Mattison described the mixed reaction of the students’ thoughts expressed on the signboard. The overall consensus can be summed up in that “we will never forget, it was horrible but we will learn, and we must hope for peace.” 
    The anonymous reflections written were not only taken seriously, but they were also taken directly from the heart. One reflection stated, “A part of my soul was lost that day.” Sept. 11 affected everyone from every part of the globe...not just those located in New York City. Another anonymous author wrote, “Thank you for all the help and prayers in the past two years, thank you again.”
    Others felt that 9-11 was a learning experience along with a slap in the face to America. “We will not forget but we will learn” and “911 was a painful reminder that though we thought America was invincible it was not” were among the many different reflections written in commemoration.