On Sept. 11, I did not lose anyone I know in the terrorist attacks. I did not even know anyone who responded to the aftermath in an effort to help the victims. The events did not inspire me to join the military or even volunteer more to help others. I am like the majority of Americans who did not become a hero that day, but still saw my life changed forever. With the 10 year anniversary just days away, I am sharing my story as a way to show the younger generation how I have changed and how America has changed since the day when the unthinkable happened (again).
Until Sept 11, 2001, I think there was a general feeling that terrorism happened everywhere else, but would never happen in the United States of America. While we knew we had enemies abroad, I think there was a general feeling that no one hated us enough to come all the way here. And, those who did hate us, had enough enemies in their immediate area of the world, that we didn’t really need to worry. At least, I know that is how I felt. Since I did not live through the attack on Pearl Harbor and I know how the story ultimately ended, it never occurred to me that terrorists would try a different type of surprise attack years later. My fear is that our children will grow up knowing what happened on 09/11 and think it ended with the death of Osama Bin Laden.
Sept. 11, 2011 brought many changes to my life. The economic after effects forced me to end my home based sales business. My personal fears have made me an overprotective mother and I have become prejudice overnight. It’s not something I am proud of and I don’t walk around using racial slurs and I’ve never committed a hate crime. However, I immediately distrust any Arabic or Muslim person I meet. Considering that I live in Michigan, less than a 30 minute drive to Dearborn (with one of the highest Arabic populations outside of the Middle East) it has been a challenge I deal with everyday.
Please do not get the impression that all the lingering after effects are negative. America became united in a way that I have never seen in my lifetime. For me personally, my fears after 9/11, lead to a deep depression and feeling of helplessness. My depression aided in the ending of my marriage. However, once I received treatment and medication, I was able to see more clearly what I wanted from life. I didn’t want to live in constant fear. I think America went through a similar “depression” and from it we enacted tougher airport security measures; better intelligence gathering and sharing between federal, state and local agencies; and the overall sense that if we allow the attack to make us live in fear, then the terrorists have won.
Since 9/11, I have met and married my second husband. I have become more aware of my surroundings and keep a lookout for suspicious activities when in public. Although difficult for me, I finished my Undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan – Dearborn campus. I have stopped allowing fear of the unknown rule my life and instead try to make each day better than the one before. I am prepared for the worst, but live as if it will not happen. America has awakened to find the world a much more dangerous place than we thought it was before 09/11/01. But, we have remained awake and are working together to keep our families safe from the unknown terrorists who hate us even though they’ve never met us.