A day for remembrance
By Jennifer England, Assistant Campus Life Editor
September 11, 2007 | 5:53 p.m.
Six years ago, Ohio University students were sitting in front of middle and high school chalkboards when news broke of the terrorist attacks. Today, chalk was meant to bring those fatal events back into students' hearts and minds.
While most students were studying or watching football last night, about 15 members of the OU College Democrats were sitting on the bricks of College Green chalking the names of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack victims. Using cell phones as flashlights, Dems members read from long lists the names of people who had lost their lives during the attacks. The group chalked around 1,200 victims' names.
OU Dems President Rob Dorans created the chalking project not only to honor those who were killed, but also to spark remembrance in students, as well as faculty and Athens residents.
"We're starting to get to the point where we don't gravitate to how we felt that day," Dorans said. "This was a very real thing to a lot of people, and a lot of people lost their lives."
The chalking started at College Gate off Court Street and continued along the path into College Green. The Dems hoped that those walking through the area would take a moment to read a few names and reflect.
"It's so easy to think of '9/11' as a macro event and to forget that the victims were fathers, mothers, lovers," OU Dems Treasurer Nick Budich said. "Each one of those people was someone."
Unfortunately, most students didn't have the opportunity to see the bricks' display. Heavy rains washed away almost all the chalking before classes began this morning. Though disappointing, a little bad weather won't stop the Dems from keeping the tragedy in the forefront of students' thoughts.
The Dems will be holding a candlelight vigil tonight at 9 p.m. The group will assemble in front of Baker Center, walk up Court Street, go through College Gate and stop at the war memorial on College Green. There, they will hold a moment of silence for the victims and their families. Everyone is invited to take part in the vigil.
Sept. 11, 2001 is a day that forever changed American history. The magnitude of the attacks, though not even a decade old, has lost its impact on many but not all. The OU College Democrats are dedicated to making this six-year anniversary a day for remembrance.
"It's only right to memorialize those who lost their lives," Budich said.