American Society Before and After 9/11 (An American point of view)

[maiji]

September 11th was a sad day and many innocent lives were taken, but it brought a nation together that has been for years loosing or taking advantage of whom we are as a country. We never thought that we would be targeted and hit by an enemy in our on land. It woke all of us up to what is really going on and it us want to support our nation once again. People were driving around with flags on their cars; people had a flag hanging from every house. Something that the younger generation had never seen before. Before September 11th we were at our most vulnerable on that most horrific day. I remember being able to go to the airport, check in your bags in about 10-15 minutes, and run to your gate with just a few minutes to spare. We used to be able to come to work and think that it would just be another day filled with the things that we did everyday. We did not have FBI agents breathing down our necks, barriers at the gates, or long 2 hour lines at the airports. We thought that we were safe for the most part. The economy was doing well because we had jobs and a sense of security. However, on the horrific day, September 11, 2001, the life that we knew came to an end. Although, we have tried to put some normalcy back into our lives, it just has not been the same. When I awoke, I turned on the television to see what was on the news. To my surprise there was a building on fire on the news. I was not aware at the time that it was the World Trade Center. As I watched in awe, an airplane plowed into the second tower and I thought, what was wrong with that pilot. I know that he saw that huge building especially with the one next to it burning. As I continue to watch, reports came across the screen that the Pentagon had been hit and that another airplane had been crashed landed in Pennsylvania. The announcer said that he thought that we had been struck by terrorist, but was not sure just yet. A short time later, the report came that we had been hit by terrorist, but did not know who was responsible. That incredible day definitely changed the face of America and how much we valued our freedom. Here we were one of the biggest superpowers in the world and we could not protect ourselves from terrorist. Besides armed guards being present in out cities, planes are now protected, the government has more power to investigate suspicious citizens, and a new public security alert system has been developed. Changes and improvements have been made very noticeable. Many people are offended by these crackdowns but most people learned to appreciate them and to tolerate them to prevent another 9/11. No one will remain unchanged in some way in this country. This has undoable changed our lives forever, whether it be through increased security, the loss of a loved one, or an infringement of our privacy. No longer would we be able to travel to and from with ease. From that day forward, we have put a Homeland Security Counsel in place, the airlines that we used to travel freely on were now searching every item that we owned to include our person, in an attempt to make us safer and less vulnerable to terrorist. Now, where there used to be short lines and easy check in, we have long lines, x-ray machines, security guards and armed soldiers to protect us. Our once strong economy has now taken a blow not just from the fact that our freedom was attacked but because people lost jobs, stocks plummeted, and our troops went off the fight the war against terrorism in Afghanistan. Will we ever be able to go back to carefree lifestyle that we used to live? Will our children have to continue this battle? No one knows. However, I do know one thing , things will never be the way they were before. September 11, 2001 was a turning point in the history of America. But it raised the spirit of the whole nation up. We came together as one and wanted to show these people who could do this to us that we weren't afraid and that we were still strong.