Tragic events can reveal the true character of a country

Almost everyone can remember where they were and what they were doing when the Twin Towers in New York City collapsed on September 11, 2001. While this terrible event sends a chill down our spines, it also showed the world what the American people were made of, and their unwillingness to let the fear take over their lives. Here are some examples of how dire events give insight on local people.

9/11 – USA: As mentioned above, 9/11 is one of the most prominent events of this century, marking the end of American innocence. Once a place for friends and family to welcome and send off loved ones, the airport had become a symbol of terrorism; a place where shoes are a threat. The uncertainty of when it would strike again combined with the surprise of someone actually attacking Americans took a toll on American psyche. The ensuing overreaction is almost understandable. However, the fact that the American people were able to unite and move on showed the world just how resilient the country and its people could be.

Trapped miners – Chile: The world was inspired by the survival capacity of Chileans and their sheer determination. Mario Sepulveda, the second miner rescued from the mine showed great faith when he coined the phrase, “I was with God and I was with the devil, but God won.” The tragic event raised the spirits of the Chilean people and instilled a feeling of optimism as the whole world bared witness.

Earthquake – Haiti: Life in Haiti had never been easy, but after the earthquake things went from bad to worse. Although far from making a full recovery from the massive earthquake that struck one year ago exactly, the Haitian people demonstrate their hope and pride to the international community. Haitians are fighting to break the negative stereotypes that have resulted from recent tragic events.