The vision of people walking through the smoke and ash that day brought many to their knees. Tears, fears and disbelief were in the hearts of everyone on that day, except for one person and his followers. Osama Bin Laden had done the impossible. He had created a new disease in America. He had created the "fear of terrorism," a disease worse than AIDS or cancer.
9/11, a Day that will go Down in History
The planes on 9/11 were able to do what no other power in the world was able to do. They created fear in the hearts of everyone and only through an act of God could this have happened. Did Allah plan 9/11 or was this a complex plan by Osama bin Laden that Allah permitted to happen? There is no concrete proof Bin Laden was behind the attack other than him bragging in videos. Many stories have been posted on other possible scenarios and they probably will always be some who doubt.
Whether this was done by Al Qaeda or some one else, the end result was the same, "fear." From that day forward millions of Americans mistrusted and hated Muslims. If a Muslim was seen on the street, people would run in fear. If a Muslim got on a plane, he all of a sudden was a bomber waiting to attack. People would look around at the other passengers looking for his companions in crime. Alert buttons were pushed and some innocent Muslims were attacked, abused and removed.
America increased their screening of individuals, Air Marshals were hired and the President asked Americans to be on the lookout for suspicious looking characters. Individual armies were created overnight and American citizens were ready to fight. They bought guns, stocked their cabinets in case of seclusion and lectured their children not to speak to strangers. As bad as 9/11 was, the fear of terrorism was worse.
Next came the thousands of funerals all over America and we all cried. The horrible stories of lost loved ones were plastered all over the television. The collapse of the building had reduced bodies to dust. Widows longed for an actual body to bury to have closure, but few had that privilege. Americans demanded retribution. They demanded that their country act and kill Osama Bin Laden. They demanded justice.
War on Terrorism Begins
The President announced to everyone that the war on terrorism had begun. The hunt for Al Qaeda was intensified and the hunt to kill Osama Bin Laden was intensified. One man, how can he be so difficult to find? Thousands of service men would die in this war to find a lone terrorist and many will be deceived also. False reports were published and in the end was it a search for Osama Bin Laden or simply a desire to have the oil of Iraq?
Sadam Hussein was found and hung and many other terrorist were killed, but not Osama Bin Laden. There were many videos about the "doomsday" plotting of Al Qaeda and the fear in America increased. Americans were told not to get on planes to fly. They were told to be careful and they were told to be suspicious and suspicious they became.
The rise in hate crimes increased and people resorted to burning the Quran, beating Muslims who were in the wrong place and reporting many innocent people to the FBI to investigate. America was in fear and rightly so it must be said. Never in your wildest dreams could you believe that this was possible to happen in America.
Over two thousand died on that day when the buildings collapsed. Firemen, children, women and men died on that day. Some died in elevators trying to escape and some workers were told to remain seated and work and not to worry. Some jumped out of windows to the horror of many viewers on the ground and some simply had heart attacks from the stress.
Islam Phobia or 6th Sense?
Was this Islam phobia or was this really 6th sense? Through all the fear mongering going on some real plots was discovered and America was saved from any future attacks for many years to come. Ten years later on May 1st, 2011 the US Navy Seals would kill Osama Bin Laden and the age of "fear" would heighten to a degree no one could ever predict.
Americans cheered the commando unit that ended the life of Osama Bin Laden and they congratulated their President. His rating rose in those days and people were now concentrating on their hero. Bin Laden was buried at sea to put to rest potential hatred of America more. Obama claimed the body was horrific and America was afraid of retribution by others.
The US claimed the burial at sea was by Islamic rites, but this was not correct. The burial at sea was to protect America's interest and avoid showing the mutilated body of Osama Bin Laden. Muslims became angry and demanded proof that their leader had died. No pictures or proof of any kind was supplied and the companions of Bin Laden plotted and they plotted some more.
Whispers everywhere went up. What would happen to America now? Was there going to be another 9/11 attack or would anyone in America ever be safe again? Fears grew and even talks of a secret nuclear bomb in Europe arose. Reports showed that if Osama Bin Laden was captured or killed this bomb would be released and it would cause severe consequences. The age of nuclear war fare was now at hand.
Will Americans every feel safe again? Most likely not. It is documented that World War III will begin in Iraq and although Bin Laden died in Pakistan, Iraq is their neighbor. Would this act of assassination cause damage to the entire world or was America safe once more?
Whatever was to come will be in the future and no one can predict. But as long as there is fear and doubt, there will be wars of some kind. It is almost guaranteed that Al Qaeda will seek revenge, but hopefully there are enough safe guards in place to guard America and the world from another 9/11 or worse. The days of fear are not gone and they may never be. The fear of impending doom is looming and the fear of death will be present for many years to come.
Resources
Tierney, John (January 16, 2008) "Endless Fear of Terrorism," New York Times
(May 1st, 2011), "Osama bin Laden is Dead," CBS
"9/11 and the Holy Quran," Explore Al Quran
