The 9/11 terrorist attacks that devastated the United States in 2001 have had profound political, economic and social effects that still reverberate to this very day. However, most people don’t focus on the consequences that the attacks had on the social fabric of America, even though they were incredibly impactful.
US Muslims and people of color turned to Twitter to tell the stories of how their lives were changed by the 9/11 attacks. Using the #AfterSeptember11 and #After911 hashtags, they revealed the intense persecution they and their family members faced because of their religious beliefs, how they looked, and how they dressed. The following is a list of the most poignant stories. Upvote the ones you felt touched you the most, and leave a comment with your thoughts about 9/11 and its effects on the US and the world below. After you’re done reading, have a look at Bored Panda’s post about the incredibly heroic search and rescue dogs who are remembered for doing their duty at Ground Zero 18 years on.
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My heart breaks for much a needless and senseless loss. I'm so sorry you had to grow up without your mum.
Verbal and physical abuse against Muslims was rife in the weeks, months and even years following the terrorist attacks. From bullying in schools to taunts in public, both Muslims and people of color were ‘presumed to be guilty’ for what happened. The people who thought themselves to be just as American as anyone else found themselves outcasts in a society that didn’t know how to deal with their grief and anger.
Even though for some the memory of 9/11 fades, for others it is still as though the tragedy happened yesterday. And new information about what happened is still coming out even now. For example, according to CNN, the US Justice Department has recently stated that it will reveal the name of a person who is believed to have aided two of the 9/11 hijackers.
That's very sad, the same happened during WWII with Adolf, the royal family changed its name to Windsor to be less German sounding and for a while German shepherds were called Shepard dogs. None of that should be important, but it matters to people.
Americans in New York honored victims of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. During the ceremony, two moments of silence were held (one for each plane that hit the World Trade Center); names of all the nearly 3,000 people who died were also read. This year was the first time that all New York schools were legally required to hold a moment of silence.
Sikhs are not Muslims. They’re Sikhs. But ignorant people, as always, tend to clump certain types of people together based on appearance. In their pea brains, wearing a turban automatically equates with being a terrorist, which is absolutely not true. Neither is the opinion that all Muslims are terrorists, which I know from experience is not true. Much of this false information is perpetuated by warmongering politicians and the mainstream media that reports on them. It needs to stop. We need to stop.
I'm really sorry. But as a German I can tell you that we have been doing that for 70 years. And none of my relatives were involved in the genocide
This is both heartbreaking and disgusting. That family sound like they were angels with hearts of gold and some $&^@^÷&€ who have probably never done anything in their useless lives to help others chased them out. I honestly hope that karma sees those guilty in the gutter with no one offering them help and the Sikh family went on to something better
I'm usually against violence, I'd have done the same if they badmouthed my dad
"Teachers never did anything".... horrendous cowards that they were. For the sake of all deities... she was a *kid*, and was deserving of protection.
So, you should tell him that white man should be banned from world because a lot of them rapes, attack schools and kill childs, etc. This is so ridiculous.
In jr high I was told I would go to hell when I die for not being catholic. That was in the 1950 s, I'm still not catholic. I'm going to hell.
In my personal experience, I've found that more black people who I worked with were the most anti-Muslim / anti-Arab. I was shocked, considering what they've experienced in life.
Teacher should’ve been reprimanded, at the very least, for that.
Alex Harris, don't be so quick posting inane comments, they make you seem very, very young and very shallow. I am absolutely certain that you can participate in a much more constructive manner and I promise you that many of us here will welcome your more sincere comments. How would it make you feel if someone threw a brick at your own grandma? I'd be mad as hell.
The fact that you'd deprive your child of a friend says everything about these "parents" before you look at all the other inherent wrongs
I was raised that you open your arms to anyone - black, white, brown, purple, green with orange polka-dots, Christian, Muslim, Jew, toilet-worshiping, gay, straight, lamp-lovers - ANYONE, as long as they were honest hard-working people. I will never judge a person by their appearance or religious beliefs, only by their actions. Considering this upbringing originated from a tiny lady who was born in the early 1900's in rural Iowa (my great-grandmother), I'd say she was pretty progressive; and her love and caring for all people has been a gift. So to anyone who might read this who feels outcast, you've got a friend/ally in me!
ctd. in the 1980s / 1990s We had families fleeing the violence in Ireland. Catholic *terrorists* bombing Protestants and vice-versa. My point is it is the terrorists of *any* flavour that are the problem. NOT an entire religion / race / country / ... sexuality / ..um what else ?
Load More Replies...People forget that the 9/11 attacks were designed to promote massive blowback and retaliation against muslims in the West to prove the recruitment propaganda right
John confused conflated Islam with a single country.
Load More Replies...I remember after the Oklahoma City bombing by Tim McVeigh, anti Muslim attacks sky rocketed. After it was found out that McVeigh was the one, no apologies given. Haters just want to hate, regardless of the reason.
Hey Dave G do you remember the countless incidents in which PEOPLE harmed other PEOPLE? Not just Muslims or Jews or Christians or Atheists or any specific religion, just people.
Load More Replies...I was raised that you open your arms to anyone - black, white, brown, purple, green with orange polka-dots, Christian, Muslim, Jew, toilet-worshiping, gay, straight, lamp-lovers - ANYONE, as long as they were honest hard-working people. I will never judge a person by their appearance or religious beliefs, only by their actions. Considering this upbringing originated from a tiny lady who was born in the early 1900's in rural Iowa (my great-grandmother), I'd say she was pretty progressive; and her love and caring for all people has been a gift. So to anyone who might read this who feels outcast, you've got a friend/ally in me!
ctd. in the 1980s / 1990s We had families fleeing the violence in Ireland. Catholic *terrorists* bombing Protestants and vice-versa. My point is it is the terrorists of *any* flavour that are the problem. NOT an entire religion / race / country / ... sexuality / ..um what else ?
Load More Replies...People forget that the 9/11 attacks were designed to promote massive blowback and retaliation against muslims in the West to prove the recruitment propaganda right
John confused conflated Islam with a single country.
Load More Replies...I remember after the Oklahoma City bombing by Tim McVeigh, anti Muslim attacks sky rocketed. After it was found out that McVeigh was the one, no apologies given. Haters just want to hate, regardless of the reason.
Hey Dave G do you remember the countless incidents in which PEOPLE harmed other PEOPLE? Not just Muslims or Jews or Christians or Atheists or any specific religion, just people.
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