Student essay on 9/11 photography, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Commenioranve edition bv the students nt' Stin^vtsant Higin Schtxil

Diverse Friends Unite Against Racist Backlash Abbie Zamcheck

I was a little excited and curi­ Oct. 2—Junior Himanshu Suri wanted to The first Tuesday after the attack, the ous at the fact that our bor­ volunteer downtown, but his mother wouldn’t group got together again, this time just to let him step out the door. “My parents were enjoy each other’s company. ing normal school day had scared,” he said. “People don’t see a difference During last Thursday’s student assembly, been interrupted. I didn't between Sikhs and Muslims.” Suri, who is Vice President of the Student realize how serious it was Suri, who is Hindu, was referring to the Union, made a speech in which tolerance when I saw the towers on TV Americans who have directed their anger among the Stuy community was the major during 3rd period. towards people they perceive—because of theme. Suri said, “I hope that we, as I think the most vivid image I skin-color or garb—to be representative of the Stuyvesant students ... work at educating oth­ had was before the towers terrorists in this attack. ers who have been blinded by anger.” collapsed and still had a thick Suri is part of a clique of about 40 juniors Alam said the group had discussed most stream of smoke coming out. and seniors who often congregated behind of the statements in Suri’s speech beforehand Stuy’s fourth floor escalator. While the bunch online. It was just so amazing to see is also made up of Jewish, Christian, Sikh, and “We stuck together, and [the non-Muslim something so grand and mag­ Jain students, the majority of its members are students] in our group really supported us in nificent just go up in smoke Hindu or Muslim, Despite historical tension this time of hardship,’’ said Alam. “We are defi­ like that. between these peoples, they have been friends nitely closer now.” There was definitely a lot of since their freshman years. And following the excitement among the class­ September 11 attack, in the face of shared per­ es, although most people secution, they have become even closer. were quiet as they were star­ Senior Mudassir Khan, Vice President of ing at the TV, shocked and the Muslim Student Association, said about 15 members of the group managed to walk not knowing what to say. together as they evacuated the Stuy building. —Justin Ma, junior The bunch trudged to 23rd Street, where they by eUxabeth o'callahaM. ate, and waited several hours until train service When I got into room 407 for resumed. math, I saw a lot of people “When we were walking there was no Always wear yoixr waLfeLiA.g shoes walking away from the Twin arguing,” said Suri. “We just valued each other’s 'oause you kvever te^vow how -far Towers. One guy said it company. You could see this among much of looked like a “parade."... the school as well.” yoK i^ay have to waLte. Then Mr. Teitel gave us the The students said that while they haven’t been harassed by members of the Stuy com­ O horrific news that two planes munity, they have experienced bigotry

I.............. crashed into the towers and throughout the city. They told lue to another in Washington.... According to senior Naazia Husain, a &0 30 North but Everyone was trying to reach pedestrian who passed her group of diverse their family via cell phones. I Stuyvesant students dining at 23rd Street said, tried to reach my dad “Look at the Palestinians celebrating.” Husain because he worked a few wears a hijab, the traditional garment worn by buildings away, but all the certain Muslim women. She said that because So I teept waLteuA.g. cells were down. It seems like it distinguishes her as a Muslim, she is more susceptible to prejudice. But despite this inci­ Ji they never work when you dent, ^e said that her friends at Stuy have need them to.... We finally everyouve flees. been very supportive of her, especially since got to a payphone at West the attack. The World has oonte 6rashliA.g dowA. i3rd and 11th to call our par­ Senior Tahmeed Ahmad said, “People tried ents. All the lines were really to scare me by calling me a ‘stupid terrorist’, leavlkvg a gaplrug hole where ( stood long and people talked forev­ and told me to ‘go home’,” he said. yesterday. er. But I reached my mom Senior Mohmmad Alam, who worked and told her I was OK. She under the supervision of a man now buried told me my dad's office was under the rubble of the North Tower, said in the days following the evacuation, he has been SS. Kut I'rvt wean-ug evacuated and he's all right. “approached” by strangers, who give him cold €9 — Erin Jou, sophomore Corufortable shoes. stares. But this hasn’t prevented nim from playing basketball most days. Alam said peo­ t'rn. ready to walfe away ple need to understand that “I didn’t do it. I’m not responsible for this, the people who [car­ away frorw the ash ried out this attack] are representing their own that falls lltee srvow Irv wlrvter group, not Islam.” Through group e-mails, these friends were arvd wty feet will carry rwe able to discuss their experiences. They spoke of the hate crimes they had heard of on the Horue. media, and what they had seen on the streets.

20 The Spectator • Fall 1001

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