Remembering 9/11
The Day That Changed the World
A floor marker from the World Trade Center. Photo by Hugh Talman / NMAH
On September 11, 2001, four American commercial airplanes - two American Airlines and two United Airlines - were hijacked by nineteen Al Qaeda terrorists. The most notorious of these two planes were those that hit the Twin Towers in New York City. The third plane struck the Pentagon Building and the fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. No passenger survived these crashes. The attacks began at 8:46 am EST, but the effects are still seen today.
This year, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on American soil just 20 years ago. Although many of the underclassmen students were not born on this tragic day, we all feel the long lasting effects.
The September 11 attacks changed the world’s approach to air travel. Most airports implemented security measures quickly and effectively. Among these include the TSA (Transport Security Administration), where passengers are checked for anything on their bodies or in their bags. This concept was completely foreign a mere two decades ago, considering the four pilots who crashed the planes got through airport security at separate airports.
A Pew Research study noted that a year after the 9/11 attacks, individuals found themselves acting with more caution and more distrust than they had prior. The fear of an event like this happening again resulted in notable strides against terrorism.
Though a great notion on the surface, this caused individuals to have increased prejudices against many groups, particularly Muslims. According to an article by Al Jazeera, Yassin Aref, a former mosque leader in Albany, New York, was arrested in 2004 by the FBI based on the accusation of “aiding terrorism based on secret evidence”. Aref spent 15 years in jail, later to be found innocent.
Unfortunately, Aref is not the only victim, and many are still behind bars today based on conspiracy. Furthermore, in the year following 9/11, hate crimes against Muslims increased from 28 in 2000 to 481 in 2001 - a shocking spike.
The security measures that were enacted are arguably a positive effect of the attacks, leading to more comfort and safety; however, it is crucial to remember the adverse effects of this day, particularly on the survivors and the first responders who have the images of these towers burned in their minds. Firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and all others on the front lines likely know someone who sacrificed their lives saving others. One of these includes my own father, a former firefighter captain in East Hartford, Connecticut. Robert Jano said that the widespread fear was widely caused by the realization that “evil now had a global reach,” forcing people to not trust others, especially Muslims.
Although current Marist students may have difficulty drawing connections to 9/11, many of our alumni recall where they were on campus on September 11, 2001, and they lived through the changes that underwent in this country. Amy Merrow ‘99 cites 9/11 as the moment that she became “determined to [live life to the fullest] not only for [herself], but for those who were robbed of that opportunity that day”. In this sense, Americans united over a horrific event in finding a sense of purpose.
Above all else, the terrorist attacks brought Americans closer together than we had ever been. This fact may be difficult to believe now, but in the months following 9/11, there was a spike in patriotism. This unity is one that Americans will never forget, and many hope to see again someday.
With all of these things in mind, we must keep the 2,977 lives lost on this tragic day in our memory, and never forget the most horrific terrorist attack the United States has ever endured.