Students remember Sept. 11

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    By Melody Ann Feist

    A brief memorial service was held at ground zero May 23, as workers removed the last beam from the wreckage of the terrorist attacks.

    Nearly nine months after the Sept. 11 catastrophe, many Americans are still affected by the attacks. With all the diversity at BYU, students are remembering Sept. 11 in different ways.

    Isabella Tukuafu, 24, a senior from Ashland, Ore., majoring in international studies, said the disaster hit close to home.

    Her brother, Bob Tukuafu, 19, was stationed in Kuwait in an army helicopter training program at the time of the attacks.

    “I was nervous,” Isabella Tukuafu said. “I was worried that he would have to stay and fight and that he would not be able to come back.”

    Isabella Tukuafu said after the troops were held on base for a month, her brother was finally able to come home.

    “He had priority because some of his commanding officers knew he had received his mission call,”

    Isabella said.

    Robert Tukuafu left for a mission in Puerto Rico for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shortly after returning to the United States.

    Isabella Tukuafu said the attacks have also affected her personally.

    “I think it”s annoying when I fly,” she said.

    Isabella Tukuafu said she feels airport security discriminates against her because of her last name.

    “They say it”s random, but they

    always check my bags,” she said.

    Isabella Tukuafu has traveled twice since the attacks and said the checks are “always a mix of multi-cultural people” and that “it”s annoying.”

    Steven Sampson, another student at BYU, sees the attacks in a different way.

    “It has really pulled Americans back to the fundamentals,” he said. “Unified them? Yes.”

    Sampson compared the relationship among Americans to a marriage.

    “They may have squabbles about money and other things, but when there is an enemy without, the couple become closer. They become allies,” he said.

    Sampson said the war on terrorism was “a whole new war.” Because the United States is not fighting any one enemy, he said this war will probably be longer and “just different.”

    “World War I was trench warfare, World War II was lightning warfare, and then we had something called the ”Cold War.” What do you consider war? It”s like comparing dress standards now to those in the 1800s,” he said.

    David Kenchington, 23, a sophomore majoring in business management, said he has a different angle on the situation.

    Kenchington, from Bournemouth, England, said he doesn”t feel the terrorist attacks have affected him personally, but he said he worries about its effects on others.

    “I think the world is worse off for it,” Kenchington said. “From

    an economic standpoint, it is taking money away from other areas like education and charity, but that is another subject altogether.”

    Kenchington mentioned going home to England next week, but said he is not afraid to fly.

    “I probably should be more scared,” he said.

    In West Virginia, while commenting on the economy in March, President Bush addressed the effects of Sept. 11.

    “It”s so important for this nation to remain steadfast and resolved and strong in our purpose to free the world of terror, so our children can live peacefully,” Bush said.

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