Victim's mom: 'Work together for peaceful relationships'
Pat Shanower's son, 1979 Naperville Central High School graduate Dan Shanower, died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon. The Naval intelligence officer was 40.
What I would like to see in the aftermath of 9/11 can be summarized in two words: understanding and peace.
Sept. 11 was a wake-up call for our country. We knew we had ideological enemies, but we weren't prepared for the lengths to which they would go to show their opposition to our way of life.
I would like to see greater understanding and respect for each others' culture and religion and mutual endeavors in which the eyes and minds of young people are opened to the world around them. Our country came together briefly after 9/11, but 10 years later we are divided and unwilling to compromise for the common good.
Yes, flying our flag is one way to demonstrate our patriotism, but working together for peaceful relationships within our country and abroad is another.