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Volume 40, Issue 3
September 24, 2002
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9/11:
Moment of silence heard around campus
Photo by Dan Smith/Mesa Legend
MCC students on campus observing moment of silence on Sept. 11.
One year after more than 3,000 people died at the hands of a plan, some
believers in the plan, and some passenger planes; some potential victims
all gathered in front of the clock tower of the Kirk Center at MCC. The
U.S. citizens, with joined hands, listened to 30 gongs from the bell tower
with each resonating sound, a symbol, of 100 lives lost last Sept. 11.
The free American flags being distributed were depleted minutes before
the ceremony began. Dean of Student and Community Services, Brian Johnson
began to speak at 8:40 a.m. with both Arizona and American Flags billowing
in the hands of Honor Guard members Jason Garcia and Ernie Terran in the
background.
After acknowledging the event and sharing heartfelt words about last year
Johnson encouraged all the MCC students, faculty and community members
to join hands before the first bell toll struck.
Seconds before 8:48 (precisely one year after the first plane hit) almost
everyone joined hands without hesitation; the reaction could have well
been instinct.
As the metallic bass of the bell tolled, silence enveloped and created
what could be described as a black hole of consciousness, onlookers who
just showed up on campus turned into participants, whether voluntarily
or not. Each passerby not directly active in the moment represented the
keep-going attitude in the face of tragedy that is necessary for America's
perpetuation, while the others who silently grieved represented the need
for reflection and analysis of the events.
"Taps," performed by Johnathan McNeely, eerily echoed after
the last tolling of the bell, the brass sound penetrated with a pensive
yet hopeful attitude.
Students reflected on diverse topics during the silence, "I thought
of how easily it could have been me," said MCC student Scott Anderson,
when speaking about last year.
Some held back tears, like Alyne Dias, who imagined what it must be like
in New York at that moment.
Some thought about the heroes created last year, like Kendall Klyalsky
and Rose Freitag, who both reflected on the police officers and firefighters
who lost their lives while trying save others during the attacks.
Then the gathering was led into the Navajo Room to enjoy the MCC choir,
directed by Dr. Glenn Bennett.
The National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance started the performance,
followed by other patriotic pieces, at one point the audience joined in
while the choir sang, "This Land is Your Land."
ASMCC President, Art Bencourt finished off the performance with and emotional
speech where he encouraged the audience to, "Seek courage from our
heroes."
Later in the day students and community members were invited to a forum
led by various faculty and community members. Topics ranged from what
progress has been made on the war on terrorism to the effects the attacks
have had on public schooling.
One of the forum leaders, Dr. Brian Dilly, explained how he described
to his children what was happening on the T.V. on 9/11, and when he told
his kids, in the simplest way, perhaps it was the most accurate, and should
not be forgotten, he told his kids "You just watched lots of people
die."
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