September 11, 2001, was a day that would change America’s history. On a regular morning in New York City, people were going about their day and daily routines. Then suddenly, at 8:46 a.m., an airplane struck the North Twin Tower of the World Trade Center.
17 minutes later at 9:03 a.m., the neighboring South Tower was hit by another plane. Eventually, both towers collapsed, causing destruction around them and leaving only rubble where they once stood. People screamed and ran for their lives as the whole city became engulfed in a huge gray cloud.
These towers were not the only buildings targeted by the attacks. At 9:37 a.m., a third plane flew to Washington D.C and crashed into the Pentagon, which served as the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense.
A fourth plane crashed into a field in Stony Township, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. However, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), it was planned to hit the White House.
Following the day, many couldn’t help but wonder: What led to the occurrence of such a devastating tragedy?
Causes of 9/11
Before the planes were launched into the air, 19 Islamists from the terrorist organization Al Qaeda hijacked four flights that were scheduled to travel from the East Coast to California. These planes were American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93.
Flight 93 failed in its attack due to the response of the passengers. They rebelled against the hijackers, which resulted in the flight crashing into the field instead of its target.
Effects of 9/11
As a result of the attacks on 9/11, a total of 2,977 people were killed, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in history.
Millions of people around the world were left in shock and sorrow. To this day, many are still impacted by the events of the attack. Even students from MLEC who were not there are still affected.
“9/11 was an incredibly, incredibly tragic event. It is something that impacts me since my dad is a Battalion Chief of Miramar Fire Department. Every day, I worry that my dad faces death in the eye while he’s on shift. It is a day that sits in my heart as a time of mourning. While I was not impacted firsthand, it still hits me deep in my heart,” said senior Fermin Ortea.
Since 9/11, a lot of people have also begun to criticize Muslims, their faith, and their society, causing a lot of racism and hate towards them. To this day many Muslims, both young and old, suffer under the racist ideals propagated from that time.
“I feel as if 9/11 and its effects were detrimental to the Muslim society as it was the peak time for Islamophobia. This gave an excuse to many others to push the blame onto young Muslim kids who had no relevance to it, like my brothers, and even years after it still has its lingering racist impact on me,” said junior Huzaifa Khan.
Despite the horror of the event, it also brought unity to the country. Rescuers and firefighters on that day searched tirelessly for others that were trapped, despite knowing some would lose their own lives. Many citizens also united to help clean up the aftermath of the attack. This process would take up to 10 months to complete.
Organizations such as the American Red Cross additionally gathered people across the country to help serve more than 14 million meals and snacks, and open dozens of shelters for people who were left stranded. It is crucial to reflect on this catastrophic day, honoring those who lost their lives, and the bravery and strength they showcased on that day.
