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What has been the most significant impact of 9/11?

 

 

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I have mourned people I knew that died at ground zero or members of families impacted by this event. Their grief and our sorrow will stay with us.

However, the most significant impact of 9/11 was that it allowed us to have 'fear' put in our hearts. This changed the fabric of our country. What should have been the single greatest rallying point in our Nation's history was stolen and misdirected by those with an agenda. Patriotic citizens who openly descent are attacked or wronfully discredited. Discussion have disappeared; listening, at best, is rare. Pundits have formed and polarized our opinions.

As incredibly evil and misguided as Osama bin Laden was, he never would have imagined the damage we'd do to ourselves. Perhaps he understood our political, financial and special interest institutions better than we do.

I'd hate to think that the 9/11 legacy would be that we lost sight of what this country is all about.

Submitted by zimmerman1049 : Sep 7, 2011 3:21pm

9/11 did not cause lost sight, that sight was lost or at the very least gravely deminished during the 60s with the disrespect for returning veterans from Vietnam, with disrespect for anyone that didn't copulate like rabbits, with disrespect for those that refused to join in the trashing of any politician that didn't believe in whatever the disrespectful believed in and twice the disrespect for any politician they didn't approve of; that lost sight has been a part of this country for far longer than a decade.

ObL understood how Balkanized this country was long before 9/11; he relied upon it, understanding momentary unity would soon deteriorate to finger pointing and name calling. He viewed every action in terms of long-term goals knowing Americans had very little interest in long term anything but were a nation demanding instant gratification. ObL and those that follow his screed have played upon a glaringly obvious long-term national illness with the 9/11 attacks.

Submitted by Bob95490 : Sep 8, 2011 10:13pm

For the most part, I love the writers at the AL. But, I often wonder where you guys get the answers for these questions. You give us 7 options with only 1 being negative. Is that being honest? It seems rather slanted to me.

I know with multiple choice, you can only offer so many options. But, you really need to learn how to find non-leading answers.

Submitted by EShattuck : Sep 9, 2011 3:10pm

Don't be afraid, be aware. Fear is not unhealthy. It opens your senses, forces a fight or flight reaction that pumps you with adrenalin and allow a human being to deal with what threatens him/her. See, America needed a good kick in the pants to tune in to what is happening in the world. To quit being so arrogant, so smug about what is happening over there. Over reliant on the technology that the capitalist/bussiness/ indutrial conclave with headquarters on wall street were peddling at the time. After 25 years in the Air Force Security Forces(active/reserves/National Guard)on July 2000 I had never once heard about Osama Bin Laden or his entourage. Not in the states, not in Saudia Arabia sadik, Not in Machetero Country, never. We are the best in the world at what we do. Marketing that is, PR(publc relations). We had convinced ourselves that we were safe, unreachable, untouchable, impervious, we were the Jews of the modern era. God had our back. See It's not the goverment,but who governs.

Submitted by rdvg1957 : Sep 11, 2011 1:13am

The whole thing is slanted. We were the best military in the world. The best trained. The best equiped. The most tech savant. But we were the best in following orders and putting our personal stuf on hold for the good of the mission. We are still doing it and we are still getting killed. Our personal beliefs are being defined by others who we trust implicitly because they were chosen by democratic means. You think? This guy was taking issue with the idea that the a functionary of the Legion was strongly following his personal beliefs by his actions on our behalf. Did they ask you? Nobody asked me before they misrepresented my beliefs in their testimony before Congress. But they were elected so that gives them the right to slant anything they want, any way they want. Et tu Brutae?

Submitted by rdvg1957 : Sep 11, 2011 1:27am

Unfortunately, the occupant of the White House at the time responded to the 9/11 attacks in the most inappropriate manner. He misled our nation into two unnecessary wars of choice and military occupations of questionable legality that we debate and perpetuate to this day. Our nation is worse off now because of our actions than we were on September 10, 2001. With some hard work and a little luck, hopefully our grandchildren can get US back on the right path.

As an active member of the American Legion, I am proud to say that I am also a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (ivaw.org).

Peace and Semper Fidelis...

Submitted by Rugby Reader : Sep 14, 2011 12:30am

Extremely accurate / precise / unstoppable aerial maneuvers past our state-of-the-art air defense system enabling the destruction of two iconic symbols in the financial market! The two towers then collapse within their footprints! Oh yeah Bldg 7 too which fortunately all occupants were told to evacuate before it “fell on its own”! A “supposed” 767 hits the Pentagon (once again with utmost precision) yet producing no reportable / documented tangible debris (seats / engines / wings / luggage / etc). A 4th is shot down? The environment (air) is contaminated yet the EPA states air is safe. Hundreds working the site are now all dying or in a terminal state. Since that devastating array of consequence, we have entered into a terminal state of “Terrorism” thus sustaining a perpetual “war” state which grants a “blank check” to the Gov’t .

Wonder why we are in debt??

Submitted by wcmorgman : Sep 14, 2011 10:30am