On Sep. 11, 2001 one of the most infamous days in American history occurred.  Almost 3,000 people were killed in various terrorist attacks, the main attacks being the planes that hit the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.  Americans saw the attacks as a threat to our safety and our freedom.  But, despite the horrors that took place on that day, many positives came out of it.

According to the Washington Post, the government has created around 2,000 organizations related to counterterrorism since the attacks.  They stepped up the security in airports.  They have improved surveillance techniques to screen potential terrorists.  But above all, the biggest positive that came out of 9/11 was the sense of unity created within the country.  We, as Americans, came together to pay respect to the fallen victims and to try and stop the terrorists overseas.  Even if someone was not directly affected by the attacks, they likely felt the same sense of loss as those who were affected.  We were a wounded nation, but our people came together to mend that wound.

Recently, our country has faced many struggles.  A new terrorist threat has emerged.  ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has been dominating the media for committing acts of terror in Paris, the US, and many countries throughout the Middle East.  Many disagreements have arisen regarding how to respond to these attacks.  Some say we need to declare war or bomb ISIS.  Others think we should not intervene.

In addition, mass shootings have become way too common.  According to the Gun Violence Archive, 330 mass shootings were committed in the US in 2015 alone.  Again, people disagree on what actions to take in order to prevent the shootings. Some think gun control is necessary while others do not.

Despite the different proposals on how to deal with our country’s issues, there is one thing to do that is absolutely necessary:  We, the citizens of the United States, need to come together.

After 9/11, the sense of unity between citizens our country was undeniable.  However, in light of the ISIS attacks and all that is going on in the country, we seem to be more separated than ever.  People are bickering over social media about what is best for the country.  People are not only criticizing our current president, but ruthlessly making fun of him.  Even if one strongly dislikes Obama, their love for the USA should be more powerful than their hatred for the president.  In order to actually make America great again, we cannot pin our citizens against each other.  We need to wake up and realize that this is exactly what the terrorists want us to do---tear our own country apart.

It makes the terrorists’ jobs much easier when Americans are too busy arguing with each other to look at the big picture.  When our citizens are constantly bickering, we are more vulnerable to attacks from ISIS.  In order to save more lives and stop these horrible people, we must regain the sense of national pride that we once had.
One of the main reasons for our country’s citizens being separated is the upcoming election.  Political tensions are high in this country, especially with certain candidates trying to stir up hatred and fear within their supporters.  Our partisanship is destroying this country.  People need to realize that our problems go beyond politics.  This is about our freedom, our safety, and our unity. 

Despite one’s views on gun control, war, or the upcoming presidential candidates, they have to realize that not everyone will think the same way as them.  Instead of focusing on our differences, we need to focus on things we have in common.  We must set aside our discrepancies and realize that we are all citizens of the greatest country in the world.  We are not liberals.  We are not conservatives.  We are Americans, and we need to start acting like it.