Kristina Osborne
A# 00145476
English
Thursdays - 5:30

2,976: The Effects of 9/11

Eleven years ago, the United States of America had a hugely different attitude towards terrorism than it does now. There was no thought of any act of violence being done on "our soil" only those "other" countries. Ten years later, the effects of 9/11 and its aftermath are still being seen in America. Even more than Pearl Harbor or the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the 9/11 attacks stand alone as a seminal moment in the modern history of the United States, one that exerted the most profound effects on the politics, policies and psychology of America and its citizens. A few of the effects of the Twin Towers being brought down on September 11th, 2001 are; permanent vulnerability, the creation of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), Ordinary Heroes, and a United People.

For Michael Nacht, professor of public policy at UC Berkley, the most fundamental impact of 9/11 is the "sense of permanent vulnerability that haunts citizens of Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue alike." Where there was no fear, there is now a loss of naivety regarding the unknown. In place of a naive society, there is now a sense of paranoia that never existed before. No longer do you ignore the sound of a crash, a boom, or the earth shaking. Such things are no longer attributed to an innocent source but immediate thought goes to terrorism. We hear a sonic boom and rush to the door to make sure that it couldn't be something more sinister. The thought of a bomb on a plane was left to movies to fantasize, where now it is no longer a "joke". Our grandfather's generation was marked by World War II, our father's generation was marked by the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, our generation has been marked by 9/11. The striking difference is that our grandfather's and father's saw their battles on foreign fields whereas the children of the 9/11 generation stared in bewilderment as monitors everywhere broadcasted the horror of "war at home". The second effect was the creation of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA. Created after the attacks, the TSA is tasked with instituting new security procedures and managing screening at every commercial airport checkpoint in the country. It marks the single largest federal start up since World War II. TSA is authorized to use watch lists of individuals who could pose a flight safety risk, and by 2007 had already accumulated a database of over 700 thousand names, according to the Department of Justice. Gone are the days of casual air travel. What was once a simple process of showing up with drivers license and ticket in hand has now evolved into an unpredictable, nerve-wracking experience. Two to two and a half hour delays are normal due to increased security. Privacy has taken a back seat to invasive technologies such as full body scans, strip searches, and at the least partial unclothing of practically every individual going through security. People are now quiet. Instead of seeing a fellow traveler, we see a potential terrorist. It can be said that air travel is truly no longer the "friendly skies".

Another example of an effect, was the turning of ordinary into extraordinary. According to NBCNews.com, Flight 93's target, though never confirmed, was thought to be headed for the Capitol. For many, the destination of Flight 93 was San Francisco but was hijacked during its flight. Todd Beamer went from ordinary to extraordinary that day. He along with Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick answered the call of heroism. Their plan was to "jump on" the hijackers and led others in this effort. Todd's last words over a phone call was heard, "Are you guys ready? Let's roll." While the plane crashed, due to the their efforts, the original intended use by the hijackers was foiled. It's only during the extraordinary that the ordinary shine. One of the immediate effects of 9/11 is one that the "enemy" did not foresee, and that is unity. As the names of 2,976 victims scrolled across the Nations news, a quote came to mind. John Dickinson wrote in 1768 in The Liberty Song, "Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all, By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall". Such old proverbs are being dusted off and brought back into the light once again. John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." To this day, according to Military.Com, 12% of new recruits still cite 9/11 as their reason for enlisting. Will the effect of unity last? Time will tell. As it is often the case with humanity, it is only through adversity that the appeal of selflessness comes forth. The cry of 2,796 people continues to echo twelve years later. What does society hear? How will we interpret their cries? Will we continue to stand with the memory as a Nation united under God or will we continue to fracture and be polarized over any and every issue? In the military, there is a term; United Front. This means that any discussion or dissent within the ranks of the officers are welcome to be discussed; but when an outside threat approaches, whether domestic or foreign, social or political, they put aside their differences and unify into one front. This serves the purpose of protecting the integrity of their unity. Vernon R. Osborne, Pastor of Pentecostals of Santa Fe, said, "There is nothing more powerful than a group of men and women who have differing opinions but the same goal." A goal without opinions can be defined as a dictatorship whereas opinions without a goal could be defined as disunity. Freedom is our goal. As long as we have this common goal, our memory of 9/11 will continue to be a strength and not a weakness.