Candles burn in tribute to 9-11 victims

The glow of at least a hundred candles last night represented the 2,974 lives lost when terrorists attacked New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

Seven years later, the tragic events could be used as a foundation for a better society, said Sister Carmen Gillick of St.

Joseph's University Campus Ministries, who helped Student Activities and Organizations coordinate the candlelight vigil in Dede Plaza.

"It's such a senseless tragedy, but if we can see with the right perspective, we can turn this tragedy into an opportunity for insight and, maybe, new and better ways of living in a world," Gillick said.

Student Government Association president Michael Scott Jr.

welcomed the participants, standing on the bleachers and around the rim of the plaza, and called their attention to the Presentation of Colors by Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Only the footsteps of the soldiers could be heard against the natural sounds of night.

Students then read poems commemorating the attacks, the military and Hurricane Katrina. Vocalist Annie Grayless, an ISU alumna, sang "Amazing Grace."

The participants then split into two separate groups for a Silent Walk. One group filed past the Science Building and around to the Cunningham Memorial Library and the second group followed a route past the John T. Meyers Technology Center to Seventh Street.

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They met back at the plaza to the sound of taps being performed by trumpet players.

"It felt like everyone was thinking about [the events]," said David Selby, a sophomore nursing major who went on the walk. The wind blew out some of the candles along the way, he added.

Gillick wrapped the vigil up with a prayer, asking for the construction of bridges of reconciliation rather than walls of hate.

Danek Znika, a freshman English teaching major, said the turnout was bigger than he expected.

"But I feel a presence of respect," he said.

The candlelight vigil followed the placing of 3,000 flags in the plaza on Thursday by members of Sigma Alpha Lambda, an honors society.

The flags were meant to commemorate the Sept. 11th attacks on the American republic said Dustin Bryant, a senior business administration/legal studies major who serves as president of the organization.

( Nick Hedrick is a freshman communication major. He can be reached at sascamed@isugw.indstate.edu.)