• • S.M ~"1"1"~ DOWN TOWN new york city The American Studies Institute (ASI) began their 201112012 lecture series on Oct. 6 with the moving account of Richard Picciotto, battalion commander of the New York Fire Department, who spoke about his part in the evacuations immediately following the 9/ ll attacks on the World Trade Center. Picciotto, the highest ranking New York City firefighter to survive the collapse of the Twin Towers, both moved and inspired his audience as he painted a vivid portrait of the sights, sounds and sensations in the north tower in the final moments before the buildings collapsed. While the 9/11 attacks were significant to all Americans, affecting everything from the way families spent their money to the way people traveled, most Americans nevertheless did not witness the attacks firsthand, having only heard accounts given on TV and the Internet. For some, like junior Abby Anklam, Picciotto's story brought the attacks to life for the first time. "I had not known anything about what happened inside the towers on September ll, 200 l ," Anklam said. "I hadn't known how many unusable elevators, how few stairwells, how much weight the firefighters had to carry. A lot of people died when the towers were hit and when the towers fell, but the loss was always abstract for me. By telling stories about the people he encountered, Picciotto was able to give those people faces. It was good to hear those stories and not just a casualty number." The lecture ended on a hopeful note, with a call to continue supporting the U.S., even in the face of dark times. Picciotto reminded listeners of the great sacrifices that so many men and women had made for the current security and wellbeing of the nation and emphasized the need for Americans to stand firmly together as one. The message, especially Picciotto's insistence that the nation must now "rid [discord] of his home here and again stand unified," hit home for senior David Hunzicker, who left the lecture motivated and uplifted. "This great country once stood unified in the face of its enemy, but now l 0 years later, we have allowed discord to set up camp in our borders,"Hunzicker said. "Chief Picciotto's inspiring conclusion called us all to unity." According to senior Ashley Shelton, the most significant words of Picciotto were those on having faith in God. As the north tower fell around him, Picciotto recalled praying over and over that God would give him a merciful death. However, as he stood on stage just over l 0 years later, Picciotto was thankful for the denial of that request, acknowledging that God's purpose for him was greater than he had anticipated. "Sometimes it takes an event like 9/ ll to make us realize that it is God who holds tomorrow," Shelton said. "[Picciotto J inspired me to remember that we are on God's time; he will answer our prayers at the proper time and in the proper manner. We need to realize that there is a reason for his answers and sometimes, unanswered prayers turn out to be the biggest blessings of all." Matt Ryan Organizations ff5
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==