There are many days that Americans will never forget but September 11th 2001 will be a day that completely changed the way we live for years to come. It came as a shock to the whole world about the events that occurred that day. Four commercial United States planes were hijacked and crashed into an American symbol which was New York’s Twin Towers. The cause of this unexplainable catastrophic event created many effects on our nation and as well as our relationship with our foreign neighbors. Nearly sixteen years have passed since this tragedy but we are still feeling the effects of globally traumatic act.
One of the biggest causes of this American tragedy to have even occurred is all due to the leader of the Islamic organization al-Qaeda; Osama bin Laden. Years before the attack there was conflict arising along with heated discussions between our two nations. Bin Laden stated himself that “The United States is so much weaker than what people really think they are” (Bergen pg.24). There was always a hatred for our country in the eyes of bin Laden and his followers, he was not happy with the fact that we as a country gave so much support to Israel. He had so much hatred towards America that the effect of that hatred resulted in the horrid event that occurred on the 11th day of September 2001. Al-Qaeda and the terrorist attack is the reason that we are presently at war with Iraq and Afghanistan. It has been a war the United States has been fighting since 2001 the very same year the attacks took place, making it the longest war in U.S history.
Another huge effect after the events on September,11th has been the way Americans look at the Muslim community. Ever since 9/11 everything and everyone was looked at differently, Muslims were especially targeted due to the fact that the terrorists who went through with the attack were Muslims themselves. I find it so sad that after these attacks innocent people are now treated with such hatred and disrespect. Americans stereotype every person who looks remotely close to middle eastern and attaches them to this horrific event. This effect of 9/11 never sat well with me. I believe every one regardless of race is capable of evil and destruction, it does not have to do with how you look and what you believe in. Look at school shootings and bombings that have occurred in America after the 9/11 attacks most have been Americans themselves unfortunately people have a hard time believing that not all terrorist are Muslim.
The United States of America, a land of freedom and expression had a major alteration to the way the country handles their security procedures and breaches. Before the 9/11 attacks citizens could board a commercial airplane with little or no screening whatsoever. Present day America is now very strict with the way they screen every person that is going to board a plane. There are many measures used with the TSA to prevent an attack such as September, 11th from ever happening again. Airport security only allows certain products on any aircraft and liquids must be in such a small proportion due to the discovery that hijackers had explosive liquids and chemicals which they carried on the flights that they boarded. An extra security measure is doing a selective in-depth screening on suspicious passengers who are in line to get through security. So many of our laws and processes have been changed all in result of this American tragedy. I can’t begin to fathom how the world would’ve been today if these events were to have never occurred. It is true what they say that there is a cause to every effect.
The September 11th attacks were very hard on America changing the way we all live. It shows that the most unexpected things could happen at any moment. So many effects came into play after the deadly attacks. America’s views, security and trust all have changed. September 11th will never be forgotten neither will the men, women, and children that were all killed on this tragic day. Present day there is now a memorial in New York, honoring all the people we lost that day. May they rest in eternal peace, as a symbol that we as Americans are strong.