The Effects of September 11th, 2001

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, Love leaves a memory no one can steal. Nevertheless, each passing year for ten years we remember this day, September 11th, 2001, as a day of great sadness and reproach throughout our country and the world with remorse and loving memories of each of the people that lost their life to such tragic events. The day when terrorists attacked our country out of spite and jealousy, leaving Americans with a lasting image of terror and shock for the rest of their lives. September 11th has had many lasting effects on society for the past ten years such as physical and mental issues, higher security around the country and racism. Primarily September 11th set our country into chaos once the announcement had been made of all the attacks that occurred in some of our most important places in the United States. The World Trade Center (North & South), were believed to be the first buildings attacked by terrorists on our country.

At about 8:45 a.m. an airplane which had been hijacked, plane # 1: American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashed into the North part of the World Trade Center with a gaping hole that had nothing but smoke and fire coming out of it (Cahoon). This sent NYC into a frenzy. Firefighters, workers, paramedics, were all running with a purpose, either to help out or find loved ones that were in the building the time the first plane hit. Everyone was running rapidly, screaming, yelling, crying, and calling anyone and everyone to get information and tell of the horrendous event that had just happened right in front of them.

The World Trade Center was completely damaged, people were jumping out of the building rather than staying in the tower and burn to death, the citizens of New York were completely horrified. The Pentagon was hit by American Flight 77 as it smashed into the gray concrete wall of the Pentagon (Jones). The jet hit with such force that it broke four of the five concentric rings of corridors and offices surrounding a gazebo in the center court, nicknamed “ground Zero” (Jones). As many governmental officials were working that day, none of which knew what was going on, when the plane crashed it killed all 64 passengers and about 125 people on the ground from the impact (Jones). Every passing moment was filled with desperation and fright creating chaos across the country.

Consequently everyone suffered from nine-eleven in some way shape or form, many problems were under mental and physical impairments. PTSD, commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, was one of the main problems for residents of New York, tourists, and businessman from around the country that were there when this event occurred. The loss of a life especially a loved one, and the people that were either in the building or on the outer part of it experienced something that they wish wouldn’t have seen and will never have to relive this horrifying moment have had reoccurring symptoms of nine-eleven (A.D.A.

M.). Year by year reliving that day, gives Americans a cloud of sadness upon them, the looks on people’s faces when they were frantically rushing to the building and away from it, the cries, the screams, people jumping out a thirty story building and shattering into fragments when they hit the ground, leaves people devastated for the rest of their lives. Firefighters, and EMS (paramedics), on that very day felt helpless to all those who were dying and out of their reach. PTSD leaves the affected person depressed and unwilling to do anything but feel sorry that they couldn’t help save the people, and that they didn’t do enough to help those in need , many volunteers and firefighters had something called the “Survival Guilt,” a feeling that why did they survive when the others didn’t? Why me (A.

D.A.M.)? Across the country many had a hard time fathoming this and felt depressed because they could do nothing about it no matter how much they wanted to. This feeling has lived on since the moment of the attack, the loss of the lives, the bodies lying helplessly on the ground, too late to save, scars your mind in ways you cannot imagine.

Physical health problems come in countless numbers with cases of asthma, sinus problems, chronic bronchitis, inflammation of nasal passages, and Gastroesophageal reflux, aka acid reflux (© 2011 Newser), have all been lasting issues for Americans that participated in the search at Ground Zero, or for the crowd that was around at the time before and after the terrorists attacked. Each health problem stated has been the main health effects that have cases constantly popping up (© 2011 Newser); they have significantly taken a toll on residents in Ney York and anyone other human being around at the time the attack occurred, or the brave volunteers that spent weeks cleaning the mess of the two towers up to find those still alive and in need have paid a price for their good deed. With the hijacking of airplanes on nine-eleven airplane security has been at its highest. Any person or persons boarding a plane has to be there 2hours earlier before your flight in order for you to get on (2011 Red Cirrus). When a passenger gets there they have to wait, go to flight attendants and hand them your ticket; then you go into security and take all metal objects out and anything else that you have in your suit cases, take your shoes off, put them into a bin, jewelry goes into a bowl and they scan it for any sign of a threat (2011 Red Cirrus). This takes about a good hour or so due to hundreds of people in line waiting to board their planes (2011 Red Cirrus).

After the hijacking of the planes on 9-11 many people feared going on planes with anyone especially people of the Arabic culture, racism was extremely visible. In schools, workplaces, and at major government places throughout the country now use cameras, ID’s, security guards, and more types of security mechanisms for protection of our country. ID’s are required at work places, schools, airports, museums, and the most important places in our country. Cameras allow us visual evidence of anyone trying to “harm” or “attack” us. Undoubtedly, racism has greatly increased since the nine-eleven attacks in Washington D.

C., Pennsylvania, and New York City. People of the Arab and Muslim decent have been targeted the most in our country. Each time someone sees a person of Muslim decent, man or woman, we automatically have a sense of fear inflicted upon us. As Americans and being the “melting pot” we live with many different races, but few have learned to truth the people of Muslim and Arab decent.

In schools children, teenagers, and even teachers show signs of racism toward each other. It was not our fault we fear them, but by their own kinds choice to terrorize the country that gives them the freedom to live and come here any given time, in which most countries still keep their harsh rules. We understand that not all are bad, but that it’s hard to trust them, to know who is friend or foe, against us and our country. Within Al-Qaeda a mixture of ethnic races and cultures, and an international terrorist organization (© 2011 by the Council on Foreign Relations), had planned this attack for years. Studying the way America played out wars and their defense system, so that when we least expected it, al-Qaeda would strike.

Osama Bin Laden clearly stated on tape that he had planned this attack and they were the ones that caused this (© 2011 by the Council on Foreign Relations), even though Americans originally blamed the Jews. Airports and business places that have security checks have some of the most obvious racism examples. Whether or not it’s from starting a security check, and everything is fine with the person or group a “random” thing pops up on the screen saying we need to check them for any harmful objects they might possess (2011 Red Cirrus). Random selections show resemblance to racial and ethnic profiling. A wrong last name, skin shade, or a hijab which is an turban or any other type of head covering, are examples a few factors that “random” computer selections seem to magically pick out at a security checks (2011 Red Cirrus). After the attack on the world trade center, the pentagon, and other landmarks in our country racism is at its highest.

Nine-eleven has made Americans very weary of this group. September 11th 2001, sent our country into a frenzy and outright chaotic situation continuing on ten years after with lasting effects of physical and emotional problems, higher security everywhere you go, and racism. People have learned that you can trust nobody, open to some people but not all, because some are only just there out of curiosity. Anything can and will go wrong at any time of the day even when you least expect it, so always expect the unexpected, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Nine-eleven has taught us that when we least expect it everything can fall and crash into thousands of little pieces, and that we need to cherish what we have because you never know, one day it might be too late for regrets.

Many people have changed the way they live, even ten years after the event. Living in a state of fear every year around that time makes you wonder what’s going to happen next, whether or not there will be another attack or a pass over. All of nine of eleven has had a significant amount of damage in the United States, no matter what we Americans do we will never forget this day no matter how much we try to. Works Cited © 2011 by the Council on Foreign Relations, I. (n.d.

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