As Americans begin to celebrate their country’s first birthday since the events of Sept. 11 shook the nation’s foundation, many do so with a newly found reverence for the holiday.
“People in the U.S. lived in a Utopia for a long time,” Vietnam War veteran Clayton Rapier said.
“(Sept. 11) showed us that we are not infallible and that it’s time we appreciate what we have.”
Michele Castleman said she appreciates her freedom more now.
“I used to be more critical of the government, but now I’m more in favor of the measures taken to protect our freedom,” the journalism freshman said.
“I’m a lot more patriotic this year. I express it more in my conversation and by displaying flags on my car windows.”
Although people such as Castlemen are still flying their red, white and blue in any way they can, MSU alumnus Brandon Zurvalec said he feels most of the post-Sept. 11 patriotism has faded.
“Everyone was gung-ho but it was gone after a couple of months,” he said.
“(Sept. 11) really didn’t change anything.”
But more seem to think this year will be different.
“I don’t think it will be excessive, but enough to show unity,” economics sophomore Jennifer Wein said.
Rapier, committee chairman at Lansing’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6132, said what may seem to be a boost in patriotism this year may be because young Americans haven’t had a violent war to threaten their freedom.
“The only reason today’s youth may not fully appreciate July Fourth is because it is a learned situation,” he said. “They do not go back in history, learn of the sacrifices before them.”
Now, it seems they have learned it firsthand, he said.
But education freshman Jillian French said she has known what Independence Day means and is a little bitter at Americans who needed the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil to appreciate it.
“I love my country, I think it is the best country in the whole world,” she said.
“But I think it’s stupid that it takes a threat to our country and the loss lives for people to really appreciate our country.”
Government officials continue to warn Americans to be on the look out for terrorist threats this Fourth of July.
The warnings are cause for some to worry their freedom is being more threatened that it has been before.
“Al-Qaida or the Taliban are waiting for a major holiday to do something, I know that they said America should hold on to their safety belt because of future attacks,” Okemos resident David Kelley said.
“Knowing them, they might just pick this one.
“I’ll enjoy the holiday, but I’ll keep my ears and eyes open.”
But other say they plan to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence with fireworks and no worries.
“You cant really know until something actually happens, then you can only just react to it,” mechanical engineering junior Mark Bouden said.
“To sit around and worry about it is just silly.”
