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  • Essay / How September 11 changed people's lives in the United States

    A devastating event that would forever change our daily lives. On September 11, 2001, a day that will never be forgotten, the United States experienced one of the worst terrorist attacks. 19 radicals associated with al-Qaeda carried out a suicide attack at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, killing approximately 3,000 people. (9/11 Attack) Of the three attacks, the one that hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York was the most destructive. The entire nation was in shock as many watched the horrific event unfold live on television. The smoke billowing from the buildings, the people jumping out of windows in the desperate hope of escaping the fire, and the people crying in the streets watching everything that was happening. It called for a moment of conviviality and mutual support. Although it is his 16th birthday, we can still see the effects today. Americans' changing views of Muslims, the creation of homeland security, and the ongoing war on terrorism are some of the lasting effects that the September 11 attacks have had on America. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay There is no doubt that 9/11 changed Americans' perspective on Muslims in a negative way. According to a national survey from Ohio State University, about 20% of Americans said they did not want to have a Muslim friend (Sirota). This figure more than doubled from the previous poll, which was 9%. They also concluded that more Americans would likely oppose restrictions on Muslim Americans. Although the definition of terrorism is “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political objectives,” its connotation has changed. Today, people view terrorism as an act of violence committed by Muslims. For example, the travel ban, also known as the Muslim ban, is a bill that allows the president to prevent "certain groups of people from six majority-Muslim countries from entering the United States -United” (Lind). According to Jennifer Williams, “Between 2001 and 2015, more Americans were killed by homegrown right-wing extremists than by Islamist terrorists” (Lind). This shows that we automatically associate Muslims with terrorist activity, but when an American commits a horrible act, we tend to brush it off as a mental problem. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, with a near majority of respondents, 49 percent "strongly" or "somewhat" agree with the ban, while 41 percent "strongly" or "somewhat" agree. disagreement and 10 percent of them are undecided (Giaritelli). More people voted for it than against it, which shows how Americans view Muslims and their civil liberties. As with the travel ban, the United States has numerous agencies and bills that contribute to the overall safety and security of the country. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration and US Customs and Border Protection are among the 22 agencies under Homeland Security, created in 2002 under President Bush. Homeland Security was created following the terrorist attack. These agencies have become a part of Americans' daily lives when traveling, dealing with cybersecurity issues, or simply dealing with a natural disaster. According to the Homeland Security Immigration Statistics Directory, afteron September 11, expulsions doubled, from 200,000 before the attack to 400,000 (Green). The Transportation Security Administration has forever changed the way people get around. Before 9/11 and the creation of Homeland Security, liquids were allowed on board flights and full body scanners sounded like science fiction. Now we occasionally conduct pat-downs, full body scans, and in-depth searches of people and their belongings. Previously, this was done by private airport companies, but it is now a federal responsibility. Today it has developed so much that not only do they try to prevent terrorist attacks, but theyprepare for any man-made or natural disasters. The most significant long-term effect of 9/11 is how the War on Terror has affected the country in many ways. In 2001, the same year as the attack, President Bush declared war on Afghanistan to seek justice for Osama bin Laden. A year later, he declared war of mass destruction on Iraq. It is one of the longest wars, since it only ended in 2011. According to a study by "The Balance", American economics section, the cost of the two wars for internal security is rose to about $1.146 billion under Bush, or $807 billion. under Obama, and budgeted 156 billion under Trump (Amadeo). In total, this amounted to $2.126 billion, a sharp increase in spending, which led to a worsening of the US debt crisis. This war against terrorism is still an ongoing battle, because terrorism never seems to stop. In May 2011, the leader of the al-Qaeda group behind the attack, Osama bin Laden, was confirmed dead. The six US SEALS teams led by President Obama managed to find and kill the terrorist leader. The country's deep involvement in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq has created an even bigger problem like ISIS. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The creators of ISIS focused primarily on unwanted U.S. involvement in the Middle East. They made propaganda videos saying exactly that and managed to recruit many American citizens. According to a study by the New America Foundation, ISIS claimed responsibility for 7 attacks in the United States that left 82 dead. Counterterrorism Director Nick Rasmussen expressed concern over the growing number of American ISIS members recruited by the United States and said, according to U.S. intelligence, that "150 U.S. citizens and residents have traveled or attempted to visit foreign fighters in Syria” (Alfred). It is not only people traveling to Syria who have become a concern, but especially those who live on American soil and fully support the beliefs of ISIS. Bilateral News' Myre said that "virtually all deadly attacks since September 11, 2001 have been carried out by local extremists." Now the effort is not only about fighting terrorism in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq, but also about preventing Americans from joining in or committing such acts. One thing we cannot forget, the soldiers. This long war on terrorism has left thousands dead and many suffering from physical or mental problems. In total, 2 million people have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, 6,000 troops were killed and 44,000 were injured. (Green) Among them, 18%.