Remembering 9/11, Ten Years Later

In collaboration with our sister publication, The Huffington Post, Patch sites in Montgomery County joined more than 800 other Patch sites around the country to profile local people whose lives were touched in various ways by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

For some people, the effects of that day were immediate; they were killed or lost a loved one in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in central Pennsylvania.

Others were inspired by that day to enlist in the United States military, become a firefighter or other emergency responder, or otherwise switch career paths.

Still other Americans have found that Sept. 11, 2001 has affected them by changing the country around them, not always for the better. Those with last names or appearances that suggest a Middle Eastern background often report being subjected to extra scrutiny by law enforcement, particularly when traveling by air.

We've all been encouraged to inject a bit more vigilance into our daily routines. A new public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security implores us, "If you see something, say something," a message that might have seemed controversial or even paranoid on Sept. 10, 2001. Today, it seems like common sense.

The events of that day are still changing America today, shaping our country's future in ways that may not be apparent for years or even decades. Patch talked to people who are feeling those changes, whatever form they took.

• Check out ActionAmerica.com if you'd like a chance to use the September 11 anniversary to take positive action in your community.