The task of the United States government following the attacks in New York 10 years ago was to ensure the safety of its citizens from terrorism, be it foreign or domestic. If anything could be learned from that tragic morning, it is how horrendous an act of terror can be, shaking up an entire country and leaving it scrambling for cover.
Policies have been implemented to help ease the anxiety of another attack on American soil, as evident in the evolution in airport surveillance since 2001. But have these measures created by the country’s elites actually worked in extinguishing the fear of terrorism?
The continual use of practices that seem to suspend the amount of privacy given to individuals suggests that a terrorist attack is still a possibility and that these measures are essential for safety. Therefore, if this is the current state of the country, one’s fear of terrorism is still likely to exist.
Think of the changes the country has withstood. Just a few months ago President Barack Obama extended several provisions of the Patriot Act, the controversial law that enabled the government to wiretap telephones or obtain computer records. And the Transportation Security Administration’s new “pat-down†technique angered many individuals who felt it was invasive to their personal space.
Even in sports arenas, fans are regularly patted down or must walk through metal detectors before they are allowed in.
Though Disneyland doesn’t yet employ these safety procedures, it seems just a matter of time until it too insists it must know exactly what its guests are bringing into the park. After all, those living near Disneyland could probably remember the rumors following the attacks on 9/11 that Anaheim was a possible destination for another attack.
All of these policies exemplify how tentative the country still is and, with every new policy, how we are still not where we need to be to ensure nationwide security.
And it seems that the lack of confidence in domestic security has affected other groups of people who are accused of being the perpetrators of American well-being.
One group who has been affected is Muslim-Americans, who have been stereotyped as religious fanatics who align themselves with the attackers of 9/11. This group has overcome hate crimes, death threats and bullying the past 10 years and has unfairly been labeled as treasonous to the U.S.
Studies even show that Muslim-Americans feel the U.S. government is among those promoting this injustice.
A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center indicated that 52 percent of Muslim-Americans said they believe they are targeted by the government for terrorist surveillance.
The survey further states that 43 percent of those questioned had personally experienced harassment within the past year.
If these claims are accurate then how can nationwide safety be ensured for all citizens? The fear of another international attack has clouded the judgment of the country and caused the safety of Muslim-Americans and similar groups that have been mistakenly associated with terrorists to be jeopardized.
It is clear who is causing terror in the country.
With never-ending policies being passed to strengthening national security and mistreatment of innocent citizens, it seems as if the country still has work to do until its decade-long goal can be attained.
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