September 11th, A little tribute.

9/11:  who really knows what happened on this day? 

A day that changed the lives of many.

Not just in the US.

A leader who led his country into poverty, dishing out fake promises, drove his citizens to hate him, as well as scare the US with his socialist ideas, was taken over by coup d'état led by General Agosto Pinochet and endorsed by the US.

I am talking about the Salvador Allende takeover in 1973. This memorable military coup changed the nation of Chile all together and its people are still suffering due to the dramatic dictatorship still today. 

Allende was voted into office in 1970 with only 36% of the votes. Allende wanted to make Chile industrious and have a name in the world of trade. This downward spiral began with cultivating land that many of the poor people lived on and depended on. Chile’s trade deficit increased from $18 million to $255 million from 1971-1972. Inflation went through the roof, cost of living doubled, and relentless labor strikes began all over the country. 

In 1973 Pinochet decided to take over the country by means of brutal force, taking over cities one by one and bombing La Moneda where Allende was living. The citizens thought he would be the answer to their suffering. Pinochet reached out to those suffering and made them trust him to get them out of their struggles. Little did the country know that after Pinochet was self-evoked into Presidency, Chile would suffer 17 years of brutal dictatorship where many disappeared and died. The citizens lived in fear and had to live as Pinochet wanted in fear of being taken in the middle of the night. 

I am by no means an expert in this part of Chilean history, and of course each person has their own experiences and opinions which should not in any way be belittled or forgotten. Through this post I simply wanted to remember those deeply affected by what took place in Chile on September 11th. Emotions stir when all that is on TV today revolves around the US, justifiably some feel a little unsettled. 

It is amazing to me how worlds away, emotions can be shared. A simple date, brings back simple horrors across the world with experiences unrelated. This is a simple reminder that when passing someone on the street, before you judge them one must remember that each person has their own stories behind their plain human faces that could have been equally life altering as your own. So on this day, September 11th, let us remember all of those affected across the world, for years and years. Mourning and remembering we all have in common, no matter which country, language, or economic status. 

And of course, in tribute to my home country, September 11th brings back the memory of me in 5th grade, sitting in school when our teacher turned on the TVs and attempted to explain to our 11 year old selves that our country had been under attack. The significance of those words were nothing to me back then. When I went home that day my mother sat my brother and I in front of the TV and we watched the footage over and over again of those twin towers falling. So many unanswered questions. The next year was filled with uncovering those questions, endless news reports, a newly sprung War on Terror which still affects so many lives today, and higher airline security than anyone thought was possible. What happened on that day in 2001 has changed the US and the world in the past 10 years to inexplicable lengths.

Being in Chile, away from the US on this day is very different. An outsider's perspective. What I mostly noticed is how the entire world was affected this day, the day when America came together for the first time in a long time. The day that other countries reached out a hand to help us in any way they could and mourned along side of us. This also should not be forgotten.

So, speaking from across the world, I cannot thank the soldiers who maintain my freedom and allow me to have amazing opportunities to grow and be who I want to be. The gift of freedom is so often taken for granted, no matter which country you are from. So take the time, wherever you are today to give thanks to those who make that possible for you.