Reactions to 9/11 - inspiration and understanding its impact

It's always bone-chilling to hear the first-hand phone call and relays of 9/11, even 20 years later. No one in my family would have been in or around New York, nor directly impacted by the events of 9/11 but there was certainly a ripple effect, and you can see that in the reactions of people when it is mentioned. Whether it be commemoration, remembrance, anger, or sadness, all the reactions can be equally valid. As someone who doesn't remember the events of 9/11 it is always interesting to hear the perspectives of those who do - it was a defining moment in their life. It meant the threat of freedom and democracy, it meant fear, it meant a war in the Middle East that would span 3 or 4 presidents. All that is to say, as I would find in talking with family members, 9/11 is one of the most pivotal moments in American history.