Out of these many nations was the small Massi tribe. For the Massi, cows were their most prized possession and most families relied on them to sustain themselves. This small remote village located in Kenya caught news of this tragic event and donated fourteen cows for America in sympathy. This donation truly showed how close the bonds of humans are, even if we are strangers. It shows that humans are driven to help each other no matter who it is, just as the Massi gave what they valued most precious to the Americans after that day on September 11, 2001. After the aftermath of 9/11, the government faced a conflicting issue, the issue of Freedom vs. Security. The government has been “Walking a Tightrope” as Patricia Smith wrote in her article “The 9/11 Dilema”. That is exactly true, the government has been intruding our personal privacy in order to ensure a more secure country but many think they have crossed the line. For example, “In 2002, President George W. Bush authorized the National Security Agency to monitor the phone calls and emails of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Americans and others inside the U.S. suspected of terrorist ties, without first obtaining warrants.” Right now, many are trying to get the government to let us have more freedom...but could it cause another horrible accident like 9/11? This is what Patricia Smith meant in “walking on a tightrope”. What do you think, has the government been restricting our freedom too much or no?

Everyday we wake up in the United States with freedom and liberty granted to us; because we are U.S. citizens, we are given rights to help us live in justice, and nothing but. These permissions gave our nation strength and brought us together. However, a group of Al Qaeda terrorists attempted to destroy this built faith in our country with the convoluted plan of hacking and crashing two planes into New York’s prized possession: The Twin Towers. On September 11, 2001, our country was brought to sudden trauma as these attacks were launched, making us feel weak, vulnerable, and depressed. In a way these attacks teared us down, but they also rebuilt us. Residents of the United States were utterly distraught, but we reunited with the help of other countries love and support, one such example being the Maasai tribe. This tribe had a deep passion for life, worshiping the cows they owned, and although having a tough exterior, had a soft inside when disaster struck. The Maasai heard of the calamity coursing throughout the U.S., and without having any knowledge of our customs and history, donated fourteen blessed cows to America to show their utmost support; to this tribe, the cow is life, and they gave away their cherished animals. The Maasai’s motto, “Because there is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort”, only proves that even though the tribe was not as wealthy as us, and not of our great size, they offered support greater than the largest country could. 

America received gifts of paramount importance to us, which aided us to cease our grieving.  Nevertheless, everyone knew that daily lives would be forever altered in a way that lessened hope and increased controversy over how the renewed nation would be run. How was the security and protection of the United States going to increase? How could we keep our deserved rights as citizens of the U.S. while still monitoring the country? How are we to continue living under such horrific circumstances? The government started wire-tapping and listening in to our private conversations, but after being ruled illegal, the country is still attempting to please the people while meeting security needs.Although the heinous attacks on September 11 still haunt us, we still fought through it to prove that our united nation can withstand anything.

When you eat you dinner, do you think about how lucky you are to have an abundance of delicious food and purified water, surrounded by your family in your sturdy house? Do you think about child in other countries, exactly like you, who don’t have these things? America is filled with wonderful things that are foreign to some countries. Sometimes, peoples of other places become angered and jealous of all we have. Sometimes they try and use violence to prove a point.

9/11 is a prime example. Radical terrorists hijacked commercial planes and steered them into America’s prized buildings. The “Freedom vs. Security” article states. “The attacks shattered America’s sense of invulnerability.” Many people were killed, and our country was stunned and unnerved. We started to question our safety. The government raised security measures to drastic heights in an attempt to protect the people. They took it too far, and President Bush conducted illegal monitoring of phone calls, emails, etc. This angered citizens because because it violated their rights of liberty. Americans wanted to mend the gap in the country by honoring it, not controlling it. People from all over who suffered disaster joined to repair a damaged flag from New York. This flag symbolized our ability to rebound in a time of grief. Even other places around the world understood our devastation and wanted to help ease it. A Masaii tribe from Africa donated 14 cows, as the cow represents who the Masaii are. They thought this may aid in fixing what was lost.

When disaster strikes, it makes you want to prevent it from reoccurring. but the truth is that that will only make things worse. Terrible things happen, but we don’t want them to override the good.“Think about walking a tightrope,” he says. “The idea of finding a balance means that you’re leaning a little to one side and then a little to the other side, and that you may fall off occasionally.” Celebrate wonderful times, mourn the happy ones.

 Sample Response: America’s founding fathers believed their citizens had an inalienable right to freedom. Since the states ratified the constitution, American citizens have prized and protected their fundamental right to freedom. On September 11. 2001, Al Qaeda terrorists attacked the United States seeking to destroy America’s symbols of wealth, freedom, and strength. The attackers sought to undermine American citizens’ sense of invulnerability and security.  A central that is revealed through the Patriotism text set is that after the tragic events of 9/11, Americans united to rebuild the nation, remember the many lives that were lost, and honor the first responders who sacrificed their lives.  Countries from around the world grieved in solidarity with America.  For example the Maasai tribe, a small Kenyan tribe, considers cattle their most prized possession because the cattle sustain their tribe. The Maasai dedicated 14 cows for America because they believed, “To heal the pain in someone’s heart..you give them something that is close to your own heart”.  The dedicated cattle that can never be slaughtered represents how other cultures like the Maassai shared in America’s sorrow and loss after the 9/11 tragedy. As Americans began to rebuild, people realized that because of September 11th, life would never be the same. America would have to confront the dilemma of how to preserve and restore American citizens’ sense of security and freedom without infringing on a citizen’s individual civil liberties. In the article “Freedom vs. Security: The 9/11 Dilemma”, author Patricia Smith examines how difficult it has been for the government to keep America safe and “protect against additional attacks without trampling on the civil liberties that Americans have cherished for more than 200 years.”  In some cases the government has overstepped its authority and infringed on individual's civil liberties when it has wiretapped phones, or read people's personal emails in an effort to thwart terrorist attacks. The task of balancing freedom vs. security continues to be a difficult task for government agencies.  Many believe the nation emerged stronger after the 9/11 tragedy, however there must be continual debates regarding balancing preserving citizens’ freedoms while still protecting the nation from future attacks.