How Did 9/11 Changed America Today

“9/11 changed America fundamentally, far more so than outsiders realized at the time. For Americans it genuinely was a new Pearl Harbour, an attack on the homeland that made them feel vulnerable for the first time in 60 years,” (Powell, 2003). The terrorist attacks of 9/11 affect America today because they instigated the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the “War on Terror,” and led to an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes. “Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush,” (9/11, 2010). The most noticeable of these effects was the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department

As a result of this fear, Muslims received negative portrayals in the media and a great deal of discrimination. “While some deliberately frame Islamic coverage positively in an attempt to counter Islamophobia, many of the portrayals of Muslims contributed to the formation of harmful Islamic media stereotypes,” (Media). The most used stereotype is that Muslims are radical insurgents, but there are also many others, including that Muslim women are either victims of male power, or that they are feminists revolting from a disadvantaged position. Many Muslims also face discrimination from those directly around them. Small businesses have collaborated to create “Muslim-free zones.” Many Muslims say that they receive uneasy looks when they are at airports, or have been called offensive names. Even mosques, where Muslims gather to pray, have been vandalized or have had anti-Islam protests in front of them. This distrust and blame had led to violence many times. In 2000, 28 anti-Islamic incidents occurred. However, in 2001, there were nearly 500. Since then, there are between 100 and 150 anti-Muslim hate crimes yearly. More than a decade after 9/11, Muslims are still paying for the actions of a small group.

The Department of Homeland Security, the “War on Terror,” and anti-Muslim hate crimes are results of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that still affect Americans today. “But our resolve must not pass. Each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened. We will remember the moment when the news came, here we were and what we were doing,” (Transcript,