OUR VIEW: Look for common ground on 9/11
Today is the 11th anniversary of 9/11, the day our nation witnessed a national tragedy that initially led to unity but has since caused political and social conflicts. It’s important to keep the infamous event in our memory and in our minds as we move forward – not as a symbol of us-against-them mentality, but as a symbol of both national and international cooperation.
In the months following the attacks, we witnessed something not seen in a long time. Social barriers fell overnight. Patriotic songs dominated the airwaves. People emptied their wallets to assist in the rescue efforts at ground zero. We, at least temporarily, ceased to be poor Americans and rich Americans, white Americans and black Americans, Christian Americans and atheist Americans – we were all simply Americans. In the 11 years since the attacks, we have parted from that temporarily united nation and evolved into a more divided group of people. Often it seems one must pick a specific political extreme over another. 9/11 in particular became a very polarized issue. Those who wanted to use the event as a sign that America needed to approach international politics with an olive branch in hand were labeled as un-American traitors. Those who sought the use of increased military use to curb future acts of terrorism became right-wing nut jobs.
The building of an Islamic cultural center a few blocks from ground zero showed just how deeply this divide has permeated into American society. Many threw the First Amendment’s establishment clause aside, saying the free expression of Muslim religion near the site was disrespectful because the attackers happened to be of that faith. The protests over the center showed something very frightening about 9/11: years after the fact, we were still letting fear and disunity guide our political views. The terrorists’ goal – to strike fear into the hearts of the American populace in a way that curbs our most basic of freedoms – had in some way succeeded.
We can’t let them succeed.
9/11 is now more than decade old. From the ashes, a new World Trade Center rises on the island of Manhattan. America has moved on and rebuilt, yet we are constantly reminded to “never forget.”
And we should never forget. We should never forget the months after the towers fell, when we stood united in the face of adversity as Americans. No matter the color of our skin, the differences in our socio-economic status or what church we sit in on Sunday, we are all Americans, and we are all human.
We all share this country and this watery rock we call Earth – let’s try to get along.