We asked to hear from a lot of you, and we did. Most everyone, it seems, is still feeling some

We asked to hear from a lot of you, and we did. Most everyone, it seems, is still feeling some effect from the events of that day.
We hoped to provide a deeper understanding of how such horrific attacks touch our lives far beyond the days after the attacks.
So we bypassed the government officials and the experts and came to you. What we found was remarkably diverse and thoughtful people.
In all, we believe the series provides a glimpse into the minds of Mahoning and Shenango valley residents -- fears and tears, hoping and coping -- as America continues to wrestle with the lingering effects of Sept. 11.
They come from a high school in Pennsylvania, a country church in Columbiana County, a bank in Youngstown and a band room in Niles.
They're fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, students and business people: a postal worker, a university administrator, a teacher and a college student from war-torn Lebanon.
Six men and four women from throughout the Mahoning and Shenango valleys -- your neighbors, friends, co-workers -- gathered in a conference room at the Butler Institute of American Art in downtown Youngstown on a recent Saturday morning, and The Vindicator posed this question:
"Six months later, what effect have the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had on you?"
For nearly two hours, without interruption by reporters, the group members talked to one another about the aftermath of that fateful day, questioning, explaining, feeling, laughing and crying.
Some fear for their children and the future. Some struggle with coping.
They tried to unravel God's role in all of it; they pondered over the delicate relationship between patriotism and prejudice.
In the end, there were no profound conclusions -- only questions. Questions that don't always have answers.
The participants: Abdou Ayoub, 20, of Youngstown; Daryl S. Cameron, 36, of Austintown; Arlene Floyd, 49, of Youngstown; Gayle Gillespie, 60, of Youngstown; Ed Likovich, 18, of Hermitage; Art Ort, 33, of Boardman; Chris Plichta, 48, of Boardman; Jill Redmond, 33, of Warren; the Rev. Donald A. Stevenson, 65, of Columbiana; and Sandy Wolfson, 49, of Austintown.
With some editing for space purposes, here's what they said: