9/11 Reflection

On September 11, 2001 terrorists apprehended 4 airplanes and committed the most heinous act in American history. They flew two planes into the world trade center, one into the Pentagon, and one crashed in a field in Pennsylvania crash killing more than three thousand American citizens. Since 9 /11many things have changed in America in relation to our national security.

One of the major changes that have effected most people is in the airports. There are several new procedures one must go through to take a flight these days. First, when you arrive at the airport you are required to have a government issued identification card at the counter rather than any old identification card. Then, after you receive your boarding pass you must pass by a security guard just to get to the metal detectors; before you were able to just go straight through the metal detector. Now when you get to that station you must, in most cases, take off your shoes, coat and remove your lap top from it's case.

After you have gone through all that rigmarole you must once again have your identification card out at the gate. Also, an extra special treat that the airports have for us is the institution of random screening. When you get to the gate if you have a special ticket you get to go through the whole security process again if you have a ticket with a special marking on it. At this screening they go over you with a wand and go through your bags more intrusively.

In her article titled "The New Roman Arena: Airports" Ann Coulter points out the idiocy of these new implemented methods of security: "While still completely vulnerable to another terrorist attack, Americans submit like good Germans to these purposeless airport shakedowns- which are about as useful as those national guardsmen hanging around in airports right after 9/11 carrying unloaded rifles. Most sickening is the relish other Americans are taking in their new roles as fascist storm troopers. In a famous study conducted at Yale in the sixties by professor Stanley Milgram, members of the public willingly administered what they thought were fatal electric shocks to another human being simply because they were told to do so by an authority(Coulter 1)."

What Coulter is saying here is that these systems are ridiculously inane. She states that we as Americans submit to them just because we are told we should even though they are not keeping us safer. None of this makes us anymore safe it is just an illusion and a frustration.

One of the most controversial issues to come forth from the post 9/11 era is the Patriot Act. This is a law that was passed by congress to help the intelligence agencies and the executive branch succeed in their counter terrorism efforts. Also, "To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools and other reasons(Patriot Act)."

The reason biggest reason that this is so controversial is the ability of our intelligence agencies acquire wire taps and search people personal correspondents without a warrant signed by a judge. However, I do not find this to be so troubling and the reason for that is, if you aren't doing anything in the way of terrorist activities you have nothing to worry about. People complain about their fourth amendment rights(unreasonable search and seizures, but they are so soon to forget the accomplishments of Janet Reno without a Patriot act.

"Now that the nation is embroiled in the war on terrorism, liberals are enraged about the dangerous new powers given to the attorney general by the Patriot Act. But look at all Janet Reno managed to accomplish in Miami- and Waco- without a Patriot Act. Would that liberals directed a little of that venomous anger they had for a Cuban immigrant