“The September 11 attacks changed many aspects of American life and governmental policies” (September 11 Terrorist Attacks on the United States). It all started on September 11, 2001 in New York. 9/11 made history with its tremendous destruction and deaths. Many people were killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers, additionally those who jumped down from stories above and the hundreds who asphyxiated in the massive smoke that had spread from New York to Washington D.C.. Many Americans from that day on have sorrow and barren feelings from losing their loved ones. Many people do not realize how strongly their opinions have affected not only the country but other countries additionally.
Many citizens who walk the streets of America did not care for much before 9/11. After the incident, almost everyone saw all Muslims that wore burqas(veils) as terrorists. Most Americans thought these group of people could be plotting against the nation. These muslims could have been someone’s neighbor or bestfriend, but would lose that neighbor or friend because of who they were, muslims. Verbal attacks did not only affect Muslims, but other cultures too. People do not realize how ignorant and inconsiderate they are when they discriminate. People in American politics are discussing on the issue that, ”we are in a battle with muslims.” We, as Americans must think about the others’ rights and amendments that are bound to them as a citizen. Laws have been enforced and a new act has been set on play. Was that discrimination an act of being American or racist?
America had many incidents before about discriminating other races, but it has grown exponentially. Many efforts from the US Government were quickly established because of 9/11....
... middle of paper ...
...ter the Sept. 11 terror attack, the first new tower officially opens on the World Trade Center site” By Jennifer Fermino / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
6)"Act of Congress." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 16 Dec. 2013. Web. 25 Dec. 2013.
7)"NYPD: Muslims are terrorists | What Would Muhammad Do?." What Would Muhammad Do. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
8)Dec. 2013.
9)Karam, Nicoletta. The 9/11 backlash: a decade of U.S. hate crimes targeting the innocent. Berkeley, Calif.: Beatitude Press, 2012. Print.
10) "Ethiopia's Muslims protest against being "treated like terrorists" | The FRANCE 24 Observers." The Observers. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Dec. 2013. 11).
On September 11, 2001 terrorists crashed two American airline airplanes into Twin Towers, killing thousands of people. It was the worst terrorist attack in American history and it showed us that we are not protected by Atlantic and Pacific. It showed us that we could be attacked by anyone at anytime. It showed us that if we will be attacked again that we can only depend on each other and not on other nations to help us. The 9/11 changed people forever, some lost family members or friends, others lost their jobs even so called “American Dream.”
September 11, 2001 is known as the worst terrorist attack in United States history. On a clear Tuesday morning, there were four planes that were hijacked and flown into multiple buildings by a terrorist group named al Qaeda. This group, led by Osama bin Laden, killed nearly 3,000 people. Out of those 3,000 people more than 400 police and 343 firefighters were killed along with 10,000 people who were treated for severe injuries. Many lives were taken, and to this day, people still suffer from the attack. September 11th is the most influential event of the early twenty-first century because it made an increase in patriotism, it caused a rise in security throughout the nation, and it had a tremendous effect of thousands of lives.
Imagine being discriminated anyplace you went, with glares from many and you haven’t done anything to receive those judgments. Muslim Americans in the U.S. have to deal with that discrimination every day post the events that happened on 9/11. Some take drastic measures such as changing their birth name, in hopes that they can avoid being judged by others. Muslim teenager Alisha, told her story that while visiting Six Flags with her family, an American man yelled at her father with the racial comment, “F**k you Osama!” She would also get asked offensive questions, like if she hated Jews too. People who engage in relationships with someone from the Muslim population are harassed for having a romantic affiliation with someone who they would call a “terrorist”. Along with getting called horrific names, many have become objects of suspicion.
The way Muslims have been treated after the 9/11 incident is very different than before. Before 9/11 there was certainly some discrimination towards Muslim Americans, but after the attacks happened, between the years 2000 and 2001, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a 1,700 percent increase of hate crimes against Muslim Americans (Khan & Ecklund, 2012). “While trying to adapt to the outcome of 9/11, Muslim Americans dealt with an increase in negative stereotypes spoken by the common culture, and Muslim immigrants faced more negative attitudes than any other immigrant group” (Khan & Ecklund, 2012). Since the 9/11 attacks, people who dress with a substantial resemblance to Muslims worry about the upcoming hatred and unfriendliness from people of other ethnicities (Khan & Ecklund, 2012). While listening to the media, one can hear reports of negative stereotypes towards people who resemble the Muslim religion, which may be assumed that these people are violent. Negative attitudes that Muslim Americans experience may have detrimental effects on their success in America and their success of achieving the American Dream.
After the tragic events of 9/11 attacks in the United States, there has been over a hundred terrorism-themed films such as Black Hawk Down and American Sniper that portrays a generalization of Muslims with violence, uncivilized, and is described as crude villains (Aguayo, 2009). This has unfortunately affected the way the American public view the Muslims negatively, which in turn leads to discrimination, prejudice, and irrational fear of Muslims (Islamophobia). The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) stated that the American Sniper film has caused a significant rise in violent hate and racist threat targeting the Arab and Muslim-American communities due to the promulgation of anti-Muslim propaganda and bigotry (Khalek, 2015).
Zakaria, Fareed. "Islam and the West." Online posting. 12 Oct. 2001. Newsweek Live Talk. 15 Oct. 2001. <http://www.msnbc.com/m/nw/talk/talk.asp?lt=101201_islam>
Margulies, Joseph. 2013. What Changed When Everything Changed: 9/11 and the Making of National Identity. Yale University Press.
"Hate Crimes up in Wake of Terrorist Attacks." CNN.com. Cable News Newtwork, 16 Sept. 2001.
Jacobs, James B. and Kimberly A. Potter "Hate Crimes: A Critical Perspective," Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, Ed. Michael Tonry (University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1997).
Hurd, Heidi M. (2001). Why liberals should hate ``hate crime legislation''. Law and Philosophy 20 (2):215 - 232.
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America divided two nations, yet knit one closer like the attacks on Pearl Harbor. There were many events that lead up to 9/11 that were only the beginning. The attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 was the finale. George Bush wrote in his diary, “The Pearl Harbor of the 21st century happened today…” (George Bush). This attack was a surprise, just like Pearl Harbor, but the U.S. reacted swiftly and effectively. The appalling events Now, more than a decade later, the 9/11 attacks still affect our life today.
After September 11 we were socialized to have specific feelings about different groups within our society, known as socialization. America also experienced stereotypes. The specific situations that occur in the society and the beliefs about specific groups of individuals at the time dictate which groups will experience prejudice and discrimination. For example, immediately after and ever since September 11th we have seen numerous hate crimes against individuals of Middle Eastern decent. Americans should educate themselves before attacking an innocent person. Others shouldn’t use racial profiling. We can prevent hate crimes by being open, to respect others who are different.
Lieberman M, Larner J. “Hate crime laws: punishment to fit the crime. Dissent”. 2010;(3):81. Available from: Academic OneFile, Ipswich, MA. Accessed April 1, 2014.
McVeigh, Rory., Michael R. Welch, Thoroddur Bjarnason. 2003. “Hate Crime Reporting as a Successful Social Movement Outcome.” American Sociological Association. 68: 843-867.
Terrorism will happen again regardless of how prepared the U.S. thinks it may be. This means that it is the country’s job to ensure that there is a continuation of measures that should be taken to fight against terrorism. Others believe that the U.S. is fully prepared for another terrorist attack and that enough has been done. The question at hand is, should the U.S. still be concerned about terrorism. The United States needs to be concerned about terrorism to prevent tragedies like 9/11 from happening again, to address problems with domestic terrorism, and to improve homeland security.