How Normal Has Changed Since September 11

The terrorist attacks on September 11th affected more than the lives of those in the targeted cities. Nearly every American has felt the rippling effect in both subtle and obvious ways. Everything from what people are eating to the toys that are in demand has been altered because people’s perceptions have changed. Though this country has always been considered a patriotic nation, its true colors had not shown in recent history until this tragedy. Now it is apparent that its colors are red, white, and blue. Despite the many negative aspects of the terrorist attacks, some of the changes that have happened in America have been for the better. How ironic for our enemies it would be if their acts meant for evil resulted in an overall improvement in our country. Soon after the attacks, President Bush urged the public to return to normalcy. However, I echo the feelings behind a slogan for the WordsCanHeal campaign: “Why go back to normal when you can be better than normal?” (“Priorities”).

Fear is a powerful motivator. Threats of more attacks, anthrax, presumed unsafe flying, and a slipping economy have been keeping people home more than in recent years. Across the nation, business travel has decreased by nearly 30% since this time last year (Guzman and Higgins 1). In result, more parents are at home with their families this season. When they are together, quality communication is more likely, and uniting together as a family can begin. As I believe that the strength of a nation lies in the strength of its families, situations that encourage family communication may benefit the nation as a whole, far above what the traveling industry may suffer. However, the transition of having Mom or Dad at home more often has not bee…

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…urselves through our apathy and refusal to think.

Works Cited

Agins, Teri. “Markdown Malaise.” The Wall Street Journal 7 Dec. 2001: B1 .

Bhatia, Pooja. “Big Hit in Toyland: Shrinky Dinks, a ’70s Throwback.” The Wall Street Journal 21 Nov. 2001: B1 .

Boodman, Sandra G. “In Troubled Times, Kids Go for the Feary Tales.” Washington Post. 3 Dec. 2001.

Erickson, Amy K. “There’s a War On-Have an Oreo.” Washington Post 20 Nov. 2001: HE03.

Goodstein, Laurie. “As Attacks’ Impact Recedes, a Return to Religion as Usual.” New York Times 26 Nov. 2001.

Guzman, Rafer, and Michelle Higgins. “Stay-at-Home Stress.” The Wall Street Journal 30 Nov. 2001: W1 .

Levere, Jane L. “Survey Offers Insights on College Students’ Mood Since Sept. 11.” New York Times 27 Nov. 2001.

“Priorities Changing After Sept. 11.” New York Times 3 Dec. 2001.

Free Essays on Terrorism: War is Not a Good Thing

September 11: War is Not a Good Thing

Two of the most prominent buildings in America’s most prominent city go

down. Sounds like a nightmare that belongs only in Tom Clancy’s novels.

After the event many were angry, many were thoughtful, but most of all

there was a sense “what now?” The Defense Secretary was implying war,

President Bush strongly stated he felt that this was a “war for freedom.”

But then people were wondering, what would war bring? And who exactly was

it against? What would be the solution that would bring about long term

world peace and security? War, well, what is war? a state of hostility,

conflict, or antagonism, but it is more than that, it is pain,

hopelessness, hunger, anger, hate. What is the difference between an

Afghan mother with a picture of her son who died and a mother in New York

holding up a picture of her son? Afghanistan is a country which is in a

situation that already looks like a post war wreck. Their government, the

Taliban, is a dictatorship -a form of government in absolute power is

concentrated in a dictator or a small clique. This that the people have no

voice. So if we are going to wage a war for freedom, we must not

discriminate by citizenship we must fight for all those who do not have it

in Afghanistan as well. How can we fight such a complicated war? There are

many actions we could take and all of which have positive and negative

repercussions, but if you look at the ultimate goal the choices are limited

to what we can do. First, we must define our enemy, who or what it is.

Is it the Taliban? Or is it also poverty, economic vulnerability, and

territorial conflict? (Poverty, economic vulnerability, and territorial

conflict are linked. It all comes back to the fact to governmental

instability, which allows someone like Taliban to come in a take over. Why

is there governmental instability?) Next we must define our allies. By

the definition of our war, it is every single human being who supports the

fundamental idea of freedom-liberation from slavery or restraint or from

the power of another. That would include most of the people who live in