Sept. 11, 2001, is a day that any American will recall with a wide range of emotions. It single-handedly changed the world as we know it.

I remember this sad day most vividly. When I heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center, I immediately closed my business and headed home to be with my family. I was even more shocked when I learned who the attackers were and how the American public was responding — by holding the American Muslim population responsible for the heinous crimes committed that day.

Ever since then I have been trying to fight the stereotype and harassment that sprouted from the ashes of Sept. 11. One example of this is the commemoration ceremony that the Islamic Center of Waco is doing. Through it we hope to cultivate a patriotic sense of unity among those of all faiths, for the attack of 9/11 represents an attack on us all — Christian, Jewish and Muslim.

Indeed, the Islamic Center of Waco wants the people of America to know that we were attacked too that day, and that we all felt the piercing pain. We all felt that sense of insecurity.

Yet, after the 9/11 attacks, the Muslim community was harassed and scrutinized by the general public, including preachers and politicians. After witnessing all the negative statements and stereotypes that the news media stirred up, I started questioning whether I was still in that great country, one that I served in the U.S. Army as a soldier.

Still a great country

I questioned whether this was still that great country, so widely known as the land of the free. I questioned whether this was still that great country that had accepted me and millions of other people not based on our ethnicity but rather our character.

Ever since that painfully appalling day, it has been a great struggle to defend my religion while trying to build bridges among my fellow Americans. After a very long 10 years I can proudly say that, yes, we are still a great nation. We have extended our hand to the local community to assure our neighbors that we too feel their pain. We have been blessed to be received with open arms by the great people of Central Texas.

This evening, from 7 to 8 at the Islamic Center of Waco, 2725 Benton Drive, we hope to stress that we were not attacked that day as Christians, Jews or any specific religion or ethnicity but that we were attacked as Americans. And we will stand tall and proud as Americans, hopefully better prepared to face any threat or danger to our great country and the mighty principles upon which it was founded.

Al Siddiq is leader of the Islamic Center of Waco and former president of the Greater Waco Interfaith Conference.