Everyday Canvas

Terrorism and 9/11

Prompt: Terrorism and 9/11
Do you think the world would be different if the attack on the USA on September 11th had never happened? And do you believe the world will ever be free of terrorism?

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I will never forget or forgive September 11 attacks on the US soil. At that time Al Queda terrorists hijacked four US passenger airlines and flew two of them into the two towers of the World Trade Center in NY city. Another one flew into the Pentagon, while the last one meaning to hit the White House or the Capitol crashed in PA due to heroic passenger actions.

Why? I think some of it was the envy and jealousy of the success and the greatness of the USA, but most of it was the false impressions the outsiders got of the Americans and/or those impressions were purposely instilled by our nation's enemies.

Case in point, during the nineteen seventies, I once sent a photo of me in my kitchen to a pen-pal overseas. She wrote back to me something like, "Why, but it is a regular kitchen you have. I was imagining US kitchens to be something very modern and mechanical." Yet, this innocent remark wasn't the only one I came across. During our overseas travels, I encountered numerous incidents that showed both a highly blown-up imagination of our life styles and disgust and annoyance at us being the "ugly" selfish Americans who never cared about others.

I tend to believe all these false impressions and our then-strength on the world's arena encouraged the negatives and their need for "justice," maybe because other societies and people felt less fortunate with their lot in the world, and for the same token, they became disappointed with their governments.

But why resort to terrorism? As terrorism is a complex issue plaguing our world for centuries, it is mostly used by angry people or groups as a method of violence and intimidation. Its motivations may vary but usually they stem from grievances, radicalization, and a desire to instill fear and chaos.

Do I believe if the world will ever be free of terrorism? No. Not unless sins like envy, jealousy, and wish for revenge are eradicated.

Because of such sins, the capacity for violence and destruction possessed by the terrorist groups has far-reaching, terrible consequences for the world. 9/11 might have been a tragic chapter in the US history. The world, however, still has to deal with it on a day to day basis, unless the human race gives up on its violent ways and engages in uniting all efforts to combat such extremists.


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