How Did 9/11 Changed America

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How Nine Eleven Changed America September eleventh is a date that lives on forever in history as being one of the most tragic events to take place in America. Thousands of lives were lost that day, and while it is necessary to mourn the death of those innocent lives, it is still imperative that people remember the many other ways 9/11 changed the course of American history. The events of 9/11 left lasting scars on Americans that are exemplified through the way they speak, their actions toward Muslims, and ultimately in their overall psychological state. Shortly after 9/11, people felt as though there was nowhere they could go without hearing certain words, such as al Qaeda, Ground Zero, and the Taliban (Bamatek). Words like these began to inspire a lot of emotion in Americans, but most people did not know their exact definition. The words began to have power over the …show more content…
The FBI states that while there were only twenty-eight anti-Islamic hate crimes in the year 2000, that number skyrocketed to four hundred and eighty-one in 2001, and has stayed above one hundred since then (Villemez). This hate for Muslims had previously had no place in America, a place known for being one of the most culturally diverse and accepting. After the events of 9/11, though, Americans felt as though many Muslims could be a threat to their way of life. Now, still, there is evidence that Americans view Muslims in this way. In 2010, a proposal was made to build a thirteen-story community center over a Burlington Coat Factory that was damaged during 9/11. The community center would contain a Muslim prayer center, as well as a memorial for the victims of 9/11. This community center was labelled the “Ground Zero Mosque”, even though the building was not a masque, and could not even be seen from the world trade center