Flight 93

(Sent to me yesterday, by his mom, and reprinted here with his permission)

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you know I just saw the Flight 93 movie tonight...I wasn't really planning on it, as I was initially skeptical as I am sure many of you are about having a two hour film try and encapsulate the biggest tragedy our country has experienced since the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Politics aside, I believe it is wrong to gin up emotion through short, visual propaganda as a means to a political end, and for that reason I went into the movie with such an expectation in mind, not knowing what reaction I would have. I can now say, from the bottom of my heart, that I would recommend this movie urgently to all of you, no matter which side of the political spectrum you reside.

I know some of you are rolling your eyes and are still intent not to watch it, either because you have no interest or because you think it is too soon. But let me tell you, even though I still remember when World Trade Centers were hit like it was yesterday, I am a completely different person now than I was early freshman year in college, as I am sure all of you are as well. It has been almost five years since 9/11, almost half a decade, and I have to admit that the closest feeling to what I felt tonight was when it actually happened, so to say it is too soon I believe is a bit hasty. The feeling that swept over me when the movie ended was like nothing I had felt before--every person in the sold out theatre was utterly silent, many with tears in their eyes (including me), and it seemed like everyone came together for a brief moment in the mourning of those who sacrificed their lives to save the lives of others.

The movie made no attempt to blame anyone, but merely sought to preserve the true events as they occurred, and I can assure you that every one of you will feel proud for those who lost their lives on that plane. The focus of the movie is not on the terrorists, but rather on the fact that 40 or more utter strangers united and overcame what proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for three other ill-fated planes that day. Their heroism transcended any hatred or bias the audience or I might have had towards the hijackers- unfortunately a heroism I had not fully realized or reflected upon until tonight. You can hate Bush, hate how the government failed to act decisively, hate our foreign policy, but I truly believe this movie puts such sentiments aside and reveals the true essence of what those people were standing up for, which is the right to live your life under your own accord. That is the beauty of this country-- if you disagree with an administration or with your representative or with your senator, you vote him or her out of office come next election and elect someone who lets you live your life the way you want it to be lived, as I am sure many of you are planning on doing because you feel that your country has done things that are wrong.

That said, when I watched those aboard Flight 93 stand up against the terrorists, it wasn't a clash of civilizations or a clash of religions or anything of the sort-- it was 40 civilians standing up for what they knew was right. My comments would have been the same had the terrorists been white, black, Christian, Hindu, or Scientologist. Any decent human being will agree that what the terrorists did was completely and utterly wrong, and all that our fellow Americans did in that short moment of time was stand up for what they believed in- the right not to die without a fight- nothing more. All I am trying to say is that as an American, I strongly urge you to see this film, because it really puts in perspective what normal people have the capacity to do when they look inwards and sacrifice themselves to save others, and that alone makes the movie completely worth it.

Jack Sorock, UNC Chapel Hill, 2005