Word on the Street: “What does 9/11 mean to you?”

In this week’s Word on the Street, Ole Miss students and faculty answer the question, “What does 9/11 mean to you?”

“It’s a day of humbling. It’s the day that we have to take time to appreciate our first responders. The sacrifice they gave that day is equivalent to what veterans do every day when they step into their uniforms, and 9/11 is the only day we have dedicated to them. It was the greatest sacrifice that they had to give on American soil.”

Trent Bishop, a senior criminal justice major with law enforcement emphasis from Columbus and president of the Ole Miss chapter of Student Veterans of America

“I remember watching it. It reminded me of the importance of the training and duty I took on as a member of the U.S. Army. I was a combat medic and served in the Gulf War, and I remember thinking this was the next step for our military and American history because I knew we were going into another war.”

Ken Biery, a senior general studies major from Newport, Kentucky, and treasurer of the Ole Miss chapter of Student Veterans of America

“It was what sparked my interest in joining the military and doing something more patriotic. My father was in the Navy, and 9/11 was something closest to my generation, so it impacted my joining. We are the freest nation on this earth, and it’s because of soldiers like us. I just want to give back.”

Nathan DePumpo, a senior political science major from Richmond, Virginia

“It’s part of the reason I joined the Navy in the first place. It’s a reminder of how our country can come together and the good things we can do in spite of the terrible things others have done to us.”

Lauren Graham, a junior business major from Blanco, Texas, and a member of the Ole Miss chapter of Student Veterans of America

“9/11 was a big influence on my choice to enlist and further pursue my career in the Army and give back to those who gave it all.”

Jackson Pierron, a junior criminal justice major from Plano, Texas

“9/11 is a sad day, obviously, for the country, but it means that we, as Americans, need to be united in what’s common to all of us instead of what divides us. We need to focus on working together, and when 9/11 happened, the whole country was united. It reminds me we should be that way even before any disaster or terrorist attack. If we’re united, it’ll be better for us in the end.”

Kendall Brown, lieutenant of administrative services at Ole Miss from Vallejo, California, and a former administrative specialist in the Army