Saturday, February 12, 2011

Black History Month Day 12: Who will tell our story?

As I was making my way to class on September 11, 2001, I stopped by the bank. Concerned about the distraught look on my favorite teller face, I asked if anything was wrong. What she shared with me, at the moment, jolted me into total awareness. I was unwilling to process or accept that the World Trade Center Towers had been attacked and the Pentagon. Her words were not enough to convince me that unthinkable had occurred. I made my way to campus, but not to class.

But elsewhere, Jason Thomas, and ex-marine upon hearing the news made his way to ground zero. Thomas was on a mission to save lives.

The monumental task before him was to help rescue two police officers that were trapped under hundreds of floors of debris. Thomas risked his life as an American willing to give his life to save others.

After spending weeks working in the most unimaginable devastation, Thomas simply walked away knowing that he did what he should have as a former marine. A movie was made about the hero and his sheer determination to make a difference. Unfortunately, when you watch the movie about 9/11 the actor was not an African-American. Jason Thomas is an African-American.

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