Each September we face a solemn anniversary that reminds us to take nothing for granted and that there are people out there who are willing to act in the most extreme, evil manner to inflict terror on our great country. We bounced back from that painful day in 2001 and showed the world it takes would more to destroy our country. Furthermore, we proved we could witness horror and go back to living our daily lives without the day-to-day fear of being attacked again.
On the spot where the World Trade Center buildings fell is the construction point where we will build five new proposed towers to replace those destroyed nearly eight years ago. The main tower, a 1776-foot, 102-story skyscraper, will symbolize the triumph of the American spirit over terrorism, the spirit which says we will always come back bigger, better and stronger. The projected opening of the structure is 2013.
The building received its first tenant March 25. Bejing Vantone, a firm which specializes in trade between China and the United States, plans to lease five floors in the building. While we can take solace in the fact that life goes on, there was another announcement regarding the building that reminds us just how much we have changed since the attack.
In 2003, former New York Gov. George Pataki spoke about how the new World Trade Center will show our determination to overcome evil and gave the main tower its name, the Freedom Tower. Since then, the tower has been unofficially referred to as Freedom Tower in building plans, press releases and newspaper articles. However, this past week brought the announcement that the tower will no longer be labeled as the Freedom Tower, but rather as the official address of the building, One World Trade Center. The Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia stated, "As we market the building, we will ensure the building is presented in the best possible way" and the name One World Trade Center is "easiest for people to identify with, and frankly, we've gotten a very interested and warm reception to it." The Port Authority also released a press statement saying "the fact is, more than $3 billion of public money is invested in that building and, as a public agency, we have the responsibility to make sure it is completed and that we utilize the best strategy to make certain it is fully occupied."
Granted, this decision in no way affects our ability to call the tower whatever we desire. In fact, the official name is still yet to be decided, and those involved said if Freedom Tower is the name selected for the building,
Freedom Tower will become the official name. Some proponents of the decision to utilize the One World Trade Center name as the official name have claimed the Freedom Tower name is merely a ceremonial gesture filled with false patriotism, another move ultimately disgracing the lives of those brave men and women who died eight years ago.
From solely a business-minded viewpoint, labeling the tower as One World Trade Center is probably the best way to go. It would be reasonable to assume part of the decision was made out of the fear that calling the building Freedom Tower would make it susceptible for another unfortunate attack. It might be viewed abroad as another example of American arrogance, an attempt to once again show the greatness and power of our country. It would be logical to expect corporations and businesses would be discouraged by the idea of labeling this symbol, Freedom Tower, fearful about having their business housed in a building sure to be a target of our enemies abroad.
On the other hand, from a patriotic viewpoint, this decision greatly discourages me. I know to some it seems silly to place this much importance on an unofficial name. The important part is going to be the building itself. However, by looking at the decision to stop referring to the tower as Freedom Tower, it shows the painful reality that we still haven't completely moved on, that the terrorists did create in us a fear that something bad could happen to us again. This is the fear that overcame us immediately after the attacks. We cannot allow that fear to come back. The tower will be the symbol of freedom in our country, the symbol of the American spirit and the American dream, showing we are still strong and will remain strong for the decades to come. We took that monumental first step, showing we will not be afraid to make tall buildings showcasing our ingenuity and spirit. I ask, what perfect name to go with that structure than Freedom Tower? Doesn't the name and tower symbolize everything we stand for as a country? Doesn't it symbolize the greatest dreams of those in other countries, suffering from oppression and yearning for the days in which they can have a say in their government, days in which they have the ability to elect their officials and speak out against what they see as wrong? That is what makes this country great, our freedom that allows us to choose and criticize our leaders, to practice our preferred religion and to choose our desired paths in life. The name Freedom Tower is not merely a ceremonial title but also the embodiment of everything this country stands for, which others want to take away. We need to remember that the terrorists on 9/11 failed to destroy everything that makes America great. We can't let them start now.
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