The Day We Will Never Forget - Terroristic Act 9/11
The morning of September 11th, 2001 would be the day a tragic event would change our country's way of life forever. Nineteen men hijacked fuel-loaded US commercial airplanes that killed a total of 2,977 people. 9/11 was a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by an Islamic terrorist group targeted against the United States. (Library CNN) This tragic event has led to newly created efforts to protect our country from terrorists. Before 9/11 our protection and security were minimalistic, but they now go the extra effort in precautions to go the extra mile, ensuring that everyone is as protected as can be. The 9/11 attacks would lead our country to have many drastic changes. Not only did it impact the United States security process, but the people of Americaś lives as well thus leaving a long-lasting impact that is still important and discussed often.
This day in US history not only affected us as people but would also go on to change our daily lives and the things we do. Before 9/11, September 11th was just another ordinary day, but after September 11th, 2001, it became a day that will go down in history as a tragedy. A day that nobody will forget due to the innocent lives lost. People on these flights had family members that they would never talk to again. Sandy Dahl, the wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl states, “If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.”(Sweatt) This quote means that Dahl wants people too, at the very least, take in from this even that life is short and to just surround yourself with love rather than hate. 9/11 would go on to be talked about for the following days, weeks, months, and years to follow due to the importance it was to our country.
According to James Barron, a New York Times author, “immediately following 9/11, more focus on home life and time spent with family would start to occur, numbers in church attendance even began to increase, the number of people who started hanging American flags also started to rise. People’s faith was also shaken from this as some had to learn with grief and loss of losing someone so sudden, but others questioned their faith as they were unsure about why a tragic event like this would happen?” This means that following 9/11, things started to change instantly. People became more involved in going to church. They began showing respect for our nation’s country by flying the American flag as a symbol of pride, and people would start realizing family time is vital. Barron goes on to talk about how 9/11 resulted in adding a cabinet and enforcing homeland security to better defend against huge threats, minimize risks, and strengthen the ability to respond and bounce back from disasters of all kinds. 9/11 also affected our economy greatly as it dropped the Dow by 700 points which led to the War on Terror, one of the most prominent causes of government spending in US history. The stock market closed for four trading days after the attacks for the first time since the Great Depression in 1939. These impacts were major as changes as big as these only happen in times of need. Overall, 9/11 was important in many more ways than one and affected a lot more than what is usually discussed. Not only did it affect things like people attending church, the Dow, or the stock market but it also would change the lives of many United States citizens. (Barron, New York Times).
9/11 affected several things that had to do with security, stock markets and how we do things but it would deeply affect the lives of others too. The current US President at the time, George W. Bush, during a press conference would say, “Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.” (Bergen) Bush says this as he is implying nobody will forget the day occurred, and we shall go on to remember every family member that grieves and all the rescuers who died in the line of duty. This aspect also affected people. It is sure that the last time these family members saw their loved ones who passed, they didn’t think it would be the last. Many people would wake up early on September 11th and begin their typical daily routines as they do every day. They would never know the tragedy that was about to occur.
A total of 2,977 victims and the 19 hijackers were killed along with 6,000 others that were injured. (Editors History)These people had families and friends that they would never get to see, hug, or talk to again. Jennie Wood, a psychiatrist, talks about the psychological impacts of 9/11, Wood says, “Some Americans responded to the September 11 terrorist attacks with fear, anger, as well as a growing intolerance for immigrants, especially against people who were—or appeared to be—from the Middle East. In the days immediately following the attacks, while the government launched a war on terror and searched for suspects internationally, many Muslims and Asians in the U.S. reported that they were the victims of harassment and hate crimes.”(Wood) Wood is claiming that after this event people were angered and were mad that there are people who would want to do something as evil as this. Even to this day, people continue to still think of immigrants are people who bring violence and trouble. There is still a growing fear that another tragedy like this could happen again and people want to try to prevent that.
Not only would 9/11 go on to affect the way we think but it would greatly affect the way things are done. The practical impact: these are the most obvious changes people have experienced after 9/11. People now need to check-in at least two hours before their flight takes off. There are restrictions on what passengers can bring on planes. Items such as liquids and toiletries even have to be a certain size, and no food or bottled water is allowed through security. Over the decade, security within airports has changed drastically. There are different types of searches and screenings. Airplanes are also more secure. U.S passenger aircraft have been equipped with more secure and hardened cockpit doors. All of these changes were necessary to provide more of a secure and safer place for everyone. With these changes being made and enforced it has helped save people from any more disasters that would possibly occur. In summary, 9/11 has impacted the ways of airport security and the minds of people mentally and will forever do so.
September 11 left a huge impact on Americans and forced changes upon our security, but also left an impact because was such a massive, life-changing event that was so important it is still talked about today. This was the deadliest attack on American soil in US History. (Jimenez) According to Peter Bergan from Brittanica, “The attacks against New York City and Washington, D.C., caused extensive death and destruction and triggered an enormous U.S. effort to combat terrorism.¨ (Bergen) The amount of death and destruction that this caused is one of the main reasons it is still talked about today. Many documentaries, interviews, books, and articles are still out to this day about 9/11 and what people went through. 9/11 was a day that would forever change our country. The twin towers, two of the most honored things that symbolize our country was hit. These twin towers were New York’s belief in itself. The people involved in the Islamic terrorist group targeted the special places that symbolized the United States’ most because they wanted to take us down and gain power. On the night of September 11th, George W. Bush made a speech at around 9 pm as he delivered a televised speech, declaring, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.” (Kettler) Bush wanted to make others aware that we will not let them destroy who we are or bring our country down. They can destroy the buildings we have the most pride in but they can not mess with the roots we dug, which made us America. As we can see, 9/11 was not just a day that four planes were hijacked but it was a day that our country will never forget. This day many civilians lost their lives, our country was at its lowest, and during these moments, it seemed America was at a loss for control and power as it would be too risky to fight back. Laws were changed and things were soon added to help improve and better the security of our public places. 9/11 was a day that will forever be talked about.
Finally, the 9/11 event would lead our country to have many drastic changes. Not only did it impact the United States overall, but the people of America as well, leaving such a lasting impact that is still important and talked about often. 9/11 left our country in disbelief. It left destruction and loss. Some would begin to start showing more pride for the United States as they would hang up their American flags to show we are in this together as a whole. Our economy was also affected by closing the stock markets as if it was a great depression all over. But, not only were those things affected but we as Americans were affected too. People started to become angered and began growing intolerance for immigrants as these were the people who led to this destruction. This would now impact people who travel and the security precautions they began to take. New screenings and searches became more strict and more important. They would also start to build the planes more secure. People would also lose loved ones which made them feel a sense of loss and grief. A time like this was hard for Americans as they felt a rush of hopelessness. These are all reasons why it is still talked about today. This major life-changing event will always go down in history as one of the worst destructions on American soil. September 11th, 2001 would be the day that from there on out, people would know as 9/11 and would never forget the sadness and anger it caused many individuals that day and the lives it took.
