Holocaust Remembrance Luncheon essay contest Published May 9, 2008 By Brittney Thompson and Matt Apple Holloman Middle School HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- These are the winners of the Holocaust Remembrance Luncheon essay contest: Standing up and Making a Difference by Brittney Thompson On September 11, 2001, four commercial planes were hijacked by 19 terrorists. United Airlines Flight 93 had been hijacked 50 minutes after take-off. The terrorists on board herded all the passengers on the plane to the back, where they were threatened to stay still. Unlike the passengers on other flights, United 93's passengers made phone calls to loved ones. Through the phone calls, they obtained the knowledge that other flights had been hijacked and flown into buildings. Determined to stop the terrorists from achieving their goal, the passengers rushed the terrorist to seize back the plane. Unfortunately the terrorist controlling the plane crashed before it hit its intended target, eager to make sure the passengers didn't gain back control. Thanks to the brave act of the United 93's passengers, lives were saved on that day. These people showed bravery by standing up and protecting what they held dear, even at the cost of their own lives. Standing up and showing or voicing an opinion can make a huge difference. I once knew a girl who had no friends on the bus; because of this, she was teased a lot. She rode my bus every day and got off on a street to her house, but I never talked to her. One day I overheard a group of kids talking on the bus. They were planning to get off on the girl's street just to make fun of her and toss her backpack in the trash. I didn't want that to happen especially since it was her last day at the school. When her stop came up I saw the kids get up and trying to go out the door, but since I was closer to the door I got up and started to walk with her. Seeing me walk with her made the kids sit back in their seats. The girl had also overheard the group talking and knew what they were going to do; she thanked me for standing up for her. After I walked with her to her house, I walked to mine. I was glad that I helped out that day, even though I missed a fun day at the park with my friends. I'm sure that I would do it again. These are two examples of standing up and making a difference. I will not stand silent by Matt Apple There are certain things in my life that I will not stand silently by and watch happen. I will not stand silent when my family is being hurt. I will not stand silent when my country is threatened. I will not stand silent when my religion of believing in God is being attacked. These are things that I feel strongest about and I will do whatever I can to defend them or try to do something to help them. If my family is in financial trouble, I will try to get money by babysitting or mowing the lawns. If my family is arguing I will try to get them to stop by helping them to see what the real problem is and I would help them to find a solution. I will not stand silently by and watch them destroy the family's relationship. I will not stand silent when my country is threatened. I plan to join the Air Force to help protect our great nation. If our country was attacked by our enemies I would try my hardest to protect the United States of America. When and if our nation is under attack and I am called into service I will definitely fight with my fellow soldiers for victory. Like in many of our nation's wars the soldiers have fought to their death so we can keep our freedom and no one nation controls the whole world. I will definitely not stand silently by if someone was to attack the religion I believe in. If one person says he doesn't believe in God I will try to minister to him. When he says I don't want to believe in my God I will still try to show him the truth as I know it. I would like to be a good example and hopefully they would slowly start acting a little more like a Christian. If he accepts God in his heart, I believe that his relationship will grow and grow. I will have a strong sense that I have done something for God. If my religion is being attacked like what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews the true people of God; I would be in our nation's military and fight back. That is not all that I will stand silent for but those are the most important things that I believe in. For if any of those things do happen, I would be one of the first people in my family to step up to help. If my country is attacked I will try my hardest to help the military to protect our great nation. If my religion is attacked I will definitely protect it from the evils that are trying to wipe Christianity off the earth, but I would pray to God to help us through that difficult time and I would not be silent.