Today is Sept. 11.

24 years ago today, the World Trade Center in New York City fell as two planes crashed into the Twin Towers. A third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth into a field in Pennsylvania. 

24 years ago today, the nation came together to assist those impacted by the unexpected attack on our nation. 

24 years later, we reflect upon that day. 

Just yesterday, Sept. 10, there was a school shooting at a Colorado high school. 

Just yesterday, Charlie Kirk, a vocal conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder, was shot at Utah Valley University in the neck and died shortly after being hospitalized. 

Every person has a constitutional right to speech, to rally and to express their opinions openly. 

Yesterday this right was taken away from a person and the right to bear arms is being called into question yet again. 

Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer(s).  These views may not represent those of the adviser; of the Trail staff as a whole; of the Trail’s advertisers; of the administration, faculty or staff of McIntosh High School; of Fayette County Public Schools or of the FCBOE School Board members.  

On Sept. 11, 2001, there was a terrorist attack in New York on the World Trade Center, killing thousands of people. This event was traumatic, and it brought Americans together as a country. Yesterday, on Sept.10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, who was a co-founder of Turning Point USA and a political commentator, was murdered during the first stop of his tour at Utah Valley University. In today’s age, our country is heavily divided due to political differences. In 2001, when our country experienced one of its most devastating events in history, we came together as a country in solidarity and remembrance. In the years since, our country has divided further due to political values. While I have never agreed with Charlie Kirk’s political standpoint or morals, no one deserves to be killed for expressing their First Amendment rights. Kirk was just like any other person, a father, husband and friend to many. I’m deeply sorry for his two young children who have lost their father and his wife who has lost her husband. Regardless of one’s viewpoints or political stance, no one deserves to have their life suddenly cut short. Political and gun violence has been and forever will be wrong. –Lily Johnson, Opinions Editor

***

America was once a country that was united and mature enough to allow people to have their own opinions and speak them publicly. Now it seems that is becoming harder to uphold.  Whether you agreed with Kirk or hated his ideals and words, nobody deserves to be put to death for their opinions. Two children lost their father, a wife lost her husband, a mother lost her child, people lost their friend and to many in the public they lost a man who preached of Christ. The people who celebrate the death of a man who never physically harmed anyone should be reprimanded and shown how to be kind. America needs to realize that we were once the strongest in the world because we’re a people who stood together in the toughest of times but now were shooting our own people for speaking their opinion. Americans need to become one as a people again. –Gabriel Adams

***

As the year 2025 has continued on it has been increasingly harder to be proud to be an American. The current political world seems to be designed to put people against each other in favor of one ideal over another, but that was not how it was meant to be.  While I  didn’t agree with Kirk’s unique perspective, he was still a person and did not deserve for his life to be taken in such a violent way. Gun violence is a tragedy no matter who it hurts. The concept of a perfect America is for everyone to help and be supportive of each other no matter race, gender, sexuality or opinion but the recent events have shown that we are far from that. During the 9/11 attacks the people of America came together to show support and help those in need, but current events have shown that in the face of tragedy people often turn against each other rather than the thing itself.  –Elia Holland

***

This is not just a one sided issue. In June, a Democratic Minnesota State Senator and House Speaker were assassinated. The political polarization of the U.S. is appalling. This is not just a one sided issue, it’s not just republicans getting attacked for their beliefs. In 2001, when a political and terroristic crisis happened, America came together, and now 24 years later, the government and citizens are so politically divided that resorting to assassinating those on the other political spectrum is becoming more and more common. We need politicians that will bring America together, not divide us. –Yasemin Kalpakci, Features Editor

***

The world’s constant and unnecessary use of violence is frankly disappointing to me. From 9/11, to Charlie Kirk’s death, to the Colorado school shooting, I am constantly hearing about a world more and more engrossed in fighting, conflict and constant overuse of weapons. No matter what political side you may be on, or what country you may come from, or even what religion you align with, I find it unacceptable to bring hate into a world that already has enough of it. Not only have I seen an increase in violence but also a decrease in respect. I am so disappointed in the Americans who are failing to put politics aside and give their condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk, the parents of the Colorado shooting victims, the citizens still grieving the loss of someone they lost 24 years ago. We are beginning to lose sense of humanity and plain decency and I don’t know how many more people will die before we fully realize it. –Betty Jane Plitt, Photo Editor

***

Watching this country become so divided right before 9/11, a date that’s supposed to unite our country, has caused me to worry about this country’s future. Even though I never really agreed with anything Charlie Kirk said, nobody should be killed over expressing their opinion. Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death is celebrating gun violence, no matter what side you’re on. I will not have sympathy for Kirk, since he has repeatedly advocated for gun rights in the past. But, my condolences go to Kirk’s family, and everyone in the crowd that had to witness this event. The world is a disgusting place to live in. —Allie Hartman

***

I have friends who live in Europe who laugh at America. I used to be upset, not understanding how America could be a laughable place. How could “The American Dream” be anarchy to them? There’s constant events, sometimes multiple in one day, that show just how devastating it is to live in America. From murders to assassinations to school shootings it is apparent that “The American Dream” isn’t a dream. It’s a nightmare.  Increased gun violence, hatred and certainly the divide of America has become increasingly difficult to ignore. I want to live in a country that feels safe, not where I worry about going to school because of gun violence.  I’m beginning to feel hopeless knowing that there is nothing I can do about any of it. One of the hopes I do have right now is that Kirk’s death has got people talking. I have seen so many videos of his death, heard so many conversations within the 24 hours of it happening, and a constant word I keep hearing is “empathy.” This isn’t the first time America has felt empathy, but it is definitely a different kind of empathy. People feel something about this, and it’s becoming more than just a topic of discussion. Some people are outraged, some are happy. I have hope that – as awful as this is – it will start something. Maybe it will even bring us together as a country. Something. —Cari Heinonen

***

As a migrant who’s now almost spent half of my life in America, I am utterly disappointed. I was born and raised in a household that encouraged me to love all and help others. Although most of my beliefs clash with Kirk’s, I can rightfully say he shouldn’t have been murdered over his own beliefs. My parents decided to move here for opportunity; the land of the free, right? The more time that I’ve stayed here I’ve only realized one thing: this country has a massive problem. Figures who vocalize their opinions to the public are now being silenced because their beliefs. –Connor Lafontant, Sports Editor

***

I have grown up in a household that has taught me to be kind even when someone may not be kind to you, so while I do not agree with a lot of the things Kirk said, did or commended, I don’t think he or anybody else deserves to die, especially not that way. On social media I’ve seen many instances of people – both adolescent and adults – commending the assassin and celebrating that a human being had been shot and killed in front of numerous students and his family. That is what is truly wrong with this nation. Regardless of your political view, if you celebrate someone’s assassination then you shouldn’t hold a say in our nation’s decisions. This nation needs to wake up and instead of blaming each other and taking sides, they should step up individually and make a difference on their own.  –Ryan LeVan

***

I didn’t like Charlie Kirk. I don’t think he stood for what was morally right and it made me so upset when he came on my feed. Even though I never liked him, he shouldn’t have gotten shot for his political status. Sept. 11, 2001 was an awful moment in American history. It took a whole terrorist attack just for people in the U.S. to see each other as people and not a stereotype.  What if he eventually changed his mind? What if he became more mature? What if he attempted to make amends for people he wronged? We will never get the answer to these questions. We will never see if he would’ve changed because he wasn’t even given a chance. –Anthony Capobianco, A&E Editor

***

This should be a wake up call for the dystopia we call America, as our gun laws are the real root of the problem. A gun of such caliber to commit atrocities like this one should not be readily available to the public.  The laws on high caliber firearms are too lenient for people to feel safe in public areas, especially on school grounds. But too many events similar to this have happened in the past that haven’t affected our laws on guns, so if anything will make our country change, the death of a politician adjacent to the ones in charge of our country might skew their opinion. It’s our only hope. –Drew Pitts

***

The scale of division between people in recent times has been so large that sometimes it is hard to imagine that Americans were once all on the same page. What got me the most about Kirk’s death was people’s reactions around it. Some people immediately pointed out the irony of Kirk dying due to gun violence while he had a history of advocating for gun rights, even having stated that deaths due to gun violence are necessary for the Second Amendment. Political violence has been on a rapid rise this year, and sometimes I worry that the spectacle that is derived from it also overshadows other important news. Yesterday, a shooting occurred at a Colorado high school in which two teenagers are in critical condition. I only learned about it through a short blink-and-you’ll-miss-it article, which was overshadowed by the news of Kirk’s death. Yesterday, my government teacher said that the reason that we remember 9/11 is not because of the scale of tragedy, but because of the actions of people who tried to help others. Then he took the students in my class outside to put tiny flags in front of the school as our “civic duty.” As I think of those flags today, I feel like they are not enough. –Danielle Gates

***

It has become increasingly difficult to be proud of a country that has become more and more divided as time passes. Being a citizen of the United States comes with the dichotomy of our rough past and our shiny, idealistic future that we are hoping to see on the horizon despite it slipping further away the closer we walk towards it. It feels like we are regressing as a country and as a people. Twenty-four years ago today, we came together as a nation to help others. Personal reservations were put aside. We lent a hand to strangers. Today it feels like people cannot speak to each other if their political ideologies are not the same. When did politics become synonymous with hate and violence? Why is it that being mindful of rhetoric has flown out of the window? Why does it feel like respect is fading among the American people? We need to get back to the society where regardless of what team you cheered for, we could all cheer for the United States. We need to return to the society that agrees that killing innocent people is wrong–that being violent in places of peace is wrong. We need to get back to supporting each other the way we did when the towers fell down. Spread respect and unity, not hate and polarization.  –Nyla Kerr, News Editor