The attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, and the second attack in 2001 are the cases of terrorism that I have chosen to focus on because I believe that they are extremely significant. Both attacks happened during my lifetime, which makes them more personal, and also happened in the city where I was born. Both of these attacks are examples of terrorism because both attacks were violent and intimidating crimes that also had political motives. At first glance, both events seem very similar since they shared a target. In addition, in both cases the terrorists had planned to hit other targets as well, that ended up not being affected or taken down as planned. Also, as stated by Cline, “Both were conducted and planned by men of Middle Eastern descent intent on revenge against the U.S. and Israel's military action in the region” (Cline, 2013). Despite the fact that both cases share many similarities, they also have many differences. The first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 was less devastating that the attacks on September 11th, 2001. In the first attack, fewer people died and the plan was not as successful as the second attack. In addition, the first attacked used a car with a bomb, whereas the second attack used hijacked planes. Although people remember 9/11 for the attack on the twin towers, other important buildings were hit as well, whereas in 1993 the only target that was hit successfully was the North Tower of the World Trade Center. As stated by Scanlon, “the ability of terrorists to create an event which catches the media’s complete attention indicates another significant role the media play in disasters” (Scanlon, 2009). Therefore, the media plays a crucial role in terrorism because without the media, terro...
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The attacks that occurred on 9/11 took place on September 11th, 2001. In this devastating event, four different attacks had taken place. Each of the attacks were carried out by terrorists. The group responsible for the attack was Al-Qaeda, a militant Islamist organization that is known to be global in present day. The group itself has a network consisting of a Sunni Muslim movement that aims to make global Jihad happen. Furthermore, a stateless, multinational army that is ready to move at any given time. This terrorist group focuses on attacking non-Sunni Muslims, those who are not Muslim, and individuals who the group deems to be kafir. Ever since the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda has been wreaking havoc all around the world. The leader of the group once being Osama bin Laden. Three planes were bound for New York City while another plane headed towards Washington, D.C. which was supposed to take out the U.S. Capitol. Two of the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center. One plane hitting the North Tower and the other hitting the South Tower. The third plane had crashed into the Pentagon taking out the western side of the building. The last and final plane was focused solely on taking out the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. but failed due to passengers of the plane coming hijacking it from the hijackers. The passengers attempted to take out the hijackers but sadly failed, crashing it into a field in Pennsylvania. Throughout the content of this paper, we will be focusing on the role of media when it comes to 9/11; more specifically: how the media's coverage of 9/11 manipulated our feelings towards 9/11, how it affected Islamophobia in America, and the lasting effects of 9/11.
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Currie, Stephen. "Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda." Terrorists and Terrorist Groups. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. 69-83. Print.
Tuesday September 11, 2001 will be forever in the minds of Americans all across the world, especially those in the United States. At approximately 8:45 a.m. in New York City, American Airlines Boeing 767 crashed into north tower of the World Trade Center (History.com, 2014). The plane crashed into the 80th floor of the World Trade Center. Many people were killed instantly, as a result of the crash. Unfortunately, less than 20 minutes later another Boeing 767 from United Airlines crashed into the south tower of the 60th floor of the World Trade Center. Once again, the impact of the second crash killed many people. Those not killed immediately, were trapped on the upper floors with little to no chance of survival. The two planes also caused debris that was on fire to land on surrounding buildings (History.com, 2014). America had no idea that those two planes crashes ...
Kamla Pande (2009) explored a number of attacks in this research study. However, Pande primarily focused on the attack of the city of Mumbai in India, in November of 2008 (p.5), and the attack on the United States in New York on September 11, 2001 (p. 7). The Mumbai attack occurred on November 26, 2008 and is described as a well-coordinated attack by armed attackers with the use of semi-automatic weapons, grenades and bombs. The attack lasted three days where the attackers opened fire on several businesses and a Jewish cultural center. Over 170 people were killed. In New York, on September 11, 2001, terrorists associated with al-Qaeda, hi-jacked four airplanes, two of which were flown into the World Trade Center. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attack. Pande, then, explored the prevailing research as to the types of media communication frames with regards to reporting terroristic attacks which included “international order” (describing terrorism as organized crime against a global society with a secondary emphasis on religion and politics) and “clash of civilizations” (describing terrorism in the context of hostility between different civilization)(p. 9).
Brzezinski, Zbigniew. "Terrorized by 'War on Terror'; How a Three-Word Mantra Has Undermined America." The Washington Post. N.p., 25 Mar. 2007. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
September 11, 2001 marked one of the most tragic events in United States history. As a way to assure the safety and wellbeing of U.S. citizens shortly after being attacked by al-Qaeda, President Bush stated, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts may shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve”. Although President Bush was seen a source of security during a time of need, many citizens felt that his words were not genuine and part of a dramatic story the government wanted its people to believe. Despite the side taken, both perspectives of the argument can agree that the U.S. was attacked by a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda. On that Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth into a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorist to try and regain control of the plane. This is the story the government wants its people to believe. However, the truths about the attacks on 9/11 are much more frightening. On September 11th, 2001, the United States government betrayed its citizens by allowing the destructive attacks on the Twin Towers, WTC-7, the Pentagon, and Shanksville.
It’s a normal day at work when suddenly there is an explosion, trapping hundreds of people inside collapsing buildings covered in rubble. Coworkers, friends, and family are gone, never to be seen again, lost to senseless acts of terrorism. In 1993, 1998, and 2000, these events came to pass in the form of terrorist bombings on U.S. targets across the globe. The World Trade Center complex was a symbol of wealth and prosperity, but quickly became the target for radical Muslims and was attacked early in 1993. Despite this attack, the American people did not think that the terrorist organization behind the attack, al-Qaeda, was much of a threat, failing to properly respond to the attack and prepare for the future. Five years later and across the globe, another bombing occurred. This attack targeted the U.S. embassies in the African countries of Kenya and Tanzania. Again, the U.S. was distracted from the incident and did not react in a proper manner. Finally, in 2000, the U.S. was again subjected to a terrorist attack, this time on a naval warship docked in Yemen. The country again looked on in horror as the unthinkable happened, leaving people to again question their safety. Although these attacks on American targets were devastating, the United States should have learned from its mistakes to better prepare and defend against the September 11th attacks.
Khashan, Hilal. “The New World Order and the Tempo of Militant Islam.” British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. Volume 24, Issue 1 (1997. 5), 5-24.
To start off, modern technology has made it easier for the media to publicize global tragedies. I have often turned the T.V. to see breaking headlines and graphic images. While the point of this is to inform the public of disasters and perhaps warn others, it is hardly ever the message received by the viewer. Darrin Drda, in his “Fear and Hate 9/11” comic, humorizes the fact that big news companies often present information unfairly and unbalanced. The media constantly portrays natural disasters in a way that reduces the sympathetic feeling and focuses on them as a form of entertainment. This defeats the purpose of sharing the stories of the victims. In an online article titled, “Hurricane Katrina-Rejuvenating the Mainstream Media?” Anup
First shock, then terror, followed by sorrow and lastly rage were my emotions on September 11th, 2001 when a hijacked airliner crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City. Tunh! Tunh! Tunh! All circuits are busy; please try again at a later time. This message kept repeating as I tried to call my cousin in New York, who was working in the South Tower. At the time the American Airlines flight 11 just moments earlier crashed into the North Tower. I sat in my house in shock and terror. Then at 9:05 am, about twenty minutes after the first collision, United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. I began to feel the knot in my throat getting tighter and tighter until I just finally began crying. I still didn’t have any word from my cousin and when both of the buildings plummeted to the streets below, I thought for sure he was dead. When I returned home, my mother informed me that he had gotten out before the buildings went down. Turning on the television was another ordeal in itself. All of the news stations repeatedly exhibited the buildings plunging to the ground. I felt extreme sorrow for the families of those who had not made it out alive. They had to relive that horrible moment over and over again. I was also outraged. How could such an act be committed on American soil? The only way we can answer this question is to look at the terrorists who could do such an act and what possible reasons they have for doing it.
The charging planes demolished the towers, as millions of people gazed at the rubble collapsing to the ground. Consequently, bodies were flying as the tower had its last stand. Screaming can be heard from a distance, as reporters were recording all the details. The nation was at a stand-still. After intensive investigating, the miscreants were found to be of Middle Eastern descent. After the event of 9/11, perpetrated by people of Middle Eastern heritage, many police departments adopted a prejudiced view of Middle Easterners, stripping away their civil rights.
“The trauma of the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., which were quickly interpreted as religious as well as political phenomena, provoked yet another body of studies. On the other hand, general studies of the relationship between religion and violence are rare, and they often appear to be somewhat one-sided...
Terrorism has been around for centuries and religion-based violence has been around just as long. (Hoffman, 2). The violence was never referred to as terrorism though. Only up to the nineteenth century has religion been able to justify terrorism (Hoffman, 2). Since then, religious terrorism became motivated and inspired by the ideological view (Hoffman, 3). Therefore, it has turned against the main focus of religion and more towards the views of the extremist and what is happening politically (Winchester, 4).