"Life Changing Events. Will We Survive the Next?" by Derek Hooks

In my lifetime, I have seen some of the worst events to ever occur in our nations history. I’ve seen the worst terrorist attack in American history, seen the worst hurricane in our nations history, and I was lucky enough to be able to vote and see an African American be my 44th president. Just when I thought that I had seen everything, I now, in some way became a part of another historic moment in history. On April 20, 2010, an offshore oilrig exploded off the Gulf of Mexico and sank causing the worst oil spill in American history.

On Sept 11, 2001, no one in the world thought that another nation would dare attack Americans on American soil like that. I don’t think anybody took terrorism seriously until the attack happened. I know didn’t. It opened my eyes. I saw people of all races crying, praying, holding hands together, and jumping to their death from 90 stories up, and it crushed America’s heart.

On August 28,2005 not even 5 years later, our nation was hit with another tragedy. More than 1,800 natives of New Orleans were killed in hurricane Katrina. I think the way it was handled and lack of warning, is what made it so bad. But with the levee being built below sea level and already on the edge of the ocean, it was only a matter of time. What I still never understood is why there were no warnings given until it was too late. I felt sad having to see all those families walking in water up to there waste, and having to walk past dead bodies floating in the water. New Orleans told residents to get when Katrina was already knocking on the levees. But gave no transportation to leave in. So if you didn’t have a car you were stuck to try to survive the storm out.

January 20,2009 will always be a special day to me more than others. That was the day our nation elected its first African American President. As an African American myself, this is something a lot of our parents and grandparents wouldn’t believe unless they were living to see it. For someone of minority to have a title that so many work toward yet only one man every four years can achieve. It gives a sense or feeling of if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.

On April 20, 2010 we are now seeing the worst oil spill EVER! An oil spill which every day spews at least 210,000 gallons of oil a day. So far this is the 85th day of the oil spill, and it has yet to be fixed. It has now spit more than 1,260,000 gallons of oil into the gulf coast. We are already feeling the rising prices in seafood, and it will keep going up. This tragedy will not be soon forgotten, as the effect will be here long after the oil stops. Economically and environmentally.

I can only imagine the things to come that I will see in my life that will again make some type of impact in my life.