On September 11, 2001, America suffered its “Reichstag Fire” moment. The Reichstag Fire was the arson of the German Parliament building in 1933 which was blamed on a communist and used as an excuse by Adolf Hitler to suspend civil liberties and consolidate his power.
9/11 had a similar result – coming just months after being named Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year,” George W. Bush saw his approval ratings soar into the 90th percentile and he used this power to pursue the war on terror, which has resulted in nearly 7,000 American casualties (over 4400 in Iraq alone), two overthrown governments, an unknown number of civilian deaths ranging from scores to hundreds of thousands, and a massive increase in the national debt.
1. The Patriot Act
The Patriot Act was a direct response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th. It gave law enforcement agencies more power to investigate potential terrorists and their activities. Some of the provisions of the act were controversial, such as allowing authorities to search homes without a warrant. However, many people felt that the act was necessary in order to protect the nation from future attacks.
2. The War in Afghanistan
The War in Afghanistan was also a direct response to the 9/11 attacks. The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in order to remove the Taliban government and track down Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda. The war has been ongoing for over 16 years and shows no signs of ending anytime soon.
3.Emotional Trauma
The terrorist attacks on September 11th were a shocking event that left many Americans feeling traumatized. For years afterwards, people would often have flashbacks or nightmares about that day. The trauma caused by the attacks has had a lasting impact on the nation’s mental health.
If you or someone you know that suffer physically or mentally from the effects of 9/11, there are great benefits from working with a 9/11 lawyer. They can help people recover financially and physically.
4. Changes to Air Travel
Since 9/11, air travel has been drastically changed. Airport security has been tightened and passengers are now required to go through security screenings before boarding their planes. This has made air travel more difficult and time-consuming, but many people believe that it is necessary in order to keep passengers safe.
5. The Rise of the Tea Party
The terrorist attacks on September 11th introduced many Americans to the idea of Islamic extremism. Some people became concerned about the potential for future terrorist attacks on American soil. These concerns led some people to join right-wing groups like the Tea Party, which is a conservative movement that seeks to limit government oversight and cut taxes.
6. Flight 93 National Memorial
Flight 93 National Memorial is a monument located in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, commemorating the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93. The flight was hijacked on September 11th, 2001, and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after the passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers. The memorial was dedicated in 2011 and contains a visitor center, a museum, and a 93-foot-tall Tower of Voices.
7. The Rise of the Surveillance State
After 9/11, the United States government began to increase its surveillance of American citizens. This was done in order to detect potential terrorist threats. Programs like the Patriot Act and the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program allowed the government to collect information about individual citizens without their knowledge.
This has raised concerns among privacy advocates, who believe that increased surveillance threatens civil liberties.
8. Too Big to Fail
The terrorist attacks on September 11th created fear in the financial markets and led many large corporations to seek “bailouts” from the government. These bailouts were meant to support companies that were considered “too big to fail,” meaning that their collapse would be catastrophic and cause serious problems throughout the economy.