United We Shall Stand

Like most people today, I reflect on where I was on September 11, 2001. I was in middle school and my guidance counselor, now good friend, Dawn Schwartz, came in and told us that America had been attacked. We did not fully understand what had happened, nor what was STILL happening. People were leaving school, being picked up, long lines for the phones in the office, people crying, then we watched it on the TV. We could not believe our eyes.

My family lost a cousin, they could not find all of John's body parts. My father lost many people he knew from work, friends he made from the city, being a New Yorker himself. And the memories and the emotions are so raw still, even ten years later...

Remember how during that time ten years ago, there were no such thing at Republicans or Democrats? No African-Americans or Hispanic-Americans? No Christian-Americans or Jewish Americans or Muslim Americans? We were all just AMERICANS!


We will never forget that tragic day. My business was open today for classes and I will always be open for business on September 11 because that is what the terrorists wanted. A disruption in our lives. Life keeps going and I will not allow them to think they have disrupted us to not live on. We will never forget, nor deny what we lost, but life still goes on. The unity we felt ten years ago and that we feel every annual anniversary of this day needs to be felt the other 364 days of the year as well.

In the major events of our country, in the major events in our lives, and the minor events in our lives, with all people we come in contact with, friends, family, foes, there are NO situations or scenarios where we cannot be united for a greater and common good. We are as strong united as we are weak divided. Any bonds of friendship and trust must remain strong at all costs! Do not be petty and irrational. Those are the very thing that destroy us as a nation, and destroy us as people. UNITED WE SHALL STAND!

May I take this time to say thank you....thank you to the true servant leaders who help protect this wonderful country today and on that day ten years ago...to all the police officers, the fire fighters, the navy, the army, the air force, the national guard, the ambulance corps, the marine corps, to the veterans, to you ALL!

Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO