Christopher Byassee
Staff Reporter
On September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four American commercial flights destined for the West coast and internationally crashed them. Two American Airlines, flight 11 and flight 175, departed from Boston. Flight 11 struck the New York City World Trade Center. The North tower was struck at about 8:46 am, then flight 175 hit the second tower at 9:03 am, resulting in the collapse of both towers at about 10:28 am. The third plane, flight 77, crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 am. The final plane, flight 93, departing from Newark, New Jersey, crashed in a field at Shanksville, Pennsylvania. at 10:03 am after passengers stormed the cockpit and tried to subdue the hijackers. Less than 90 minutes on a late summer morning, the world changed. Nearly 3,000 people were killed that day and the United States soon found itself lost.
Professor Leslie Wilson talks about how 9/11 changed the course of history. “It has been said that for baby boomers and millennials, 9/11 is their pearl harbor” This comparison falls short of their elders who had grown up in an era of wars and fought to make the world safe for democracy. The Boomers and Millennials had grown up in decades where Americans were not fighting to save democracy but to expand it. In their minds, they had been living in peaceful times. September 11, 2001, altered the idea for all generations that we could truly live in peace.
Muninder Ahluwalia talks about how the Muslim community became a target of hate. “The tragedy of 9/11 is not only of the lives lost but of the terror that continues to be inflicted on those whom we deem “not American enough.” Post-9/11, there was and continues to be a backlash against the Muslim community and those who are misidentified as Muslim (e.g.Sikhs). As a Sikh researcher who has studied the backlash, I know it is inextricably linked to the historical and current oppression of other groups. The increase in documented bias attacks, hate crimes, and systemic oppression in the U.S. with little justice has further normalized racism.”
Image Credit: BBC
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