One year and one day ago, radio stations were busily overplaying the music of Nelly, Alicia Keys and Dave Matthews. Moviegoers flocked to see the exploits of dysfunctional teens in “American Pie 2,” and buzz surrounded the new Lord of the Rings film being released in a few months. Churches complained of low attendance, college graduates lamented the slow job market and sports fans were thrilled with the arrival of a new NFL season.
One year, one day and one tragic terrorist attack later, radio stations are still overplaying the same artists. Moviegoers are still flocking to see the exploits of dysfunctional teens in “Swimfan” and are again awaiting a new Lord of the Rings movie. Church attendance is again suffering, the job market is still slow and NFL fever has returned.
In short, American society has not really changed at all.
Sure, the names saturating news coverage have changed from Gary Condit and Chandra Levy to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. The hot political topics have moved from campaign-finance reform to international security. The lives of those personally touched by the tragedy on this date last year will never be the same.
But the kind of earth-shattering, fundamental changes predicted by media, politicians and much of the American public simply never materialized.
Sept. 11 was a disaster of epic proportions, but it was not another Pearl Harbor, Fort Sumter or Lexington and Concord. For almost all but the friends and relatives of the victims of the monumental attack, life in America on Sept. 10 of this year looks quite similar to Sept. 10, 2001.
And this is our victory.
The attack was symbolic rather than militant; it was meant to shake the columns of American life and policy. But whatever fundamental changes the suicide bombers and their accomplices may have hoped to bring about through their horrific act, this country has left them utterly disappointed.
The people of the United States have not cowered in fear; most live their lives the way they did before. The country has not abandoned its support for Israel or its political interest in the Middle East; this attention has only increased. There has been no serious call for a new holy war or crusade pitting Christianity against Islam in this country; instead, the U.S. government has sought greater cooperation with leaders in the Islamic world.
At the same time, Americans have avoided many dangerous, destructive impulses as a reaction against this act. Despite some extremist actions immediately following the attack, most people have not abandoned the principle of open democracy and pluralism. Although some Muslims have fallen victim to a few idiots committing hate crimes, these acts have not proliferated to the extent some feared following Sept. 11 of last year — but college courses on Islam and the Islamic world have.
It appeared for awhile as if Attorney General Ashcroft and company would complete the terrorists’ task for them by destroying some of the civil liberties this country holds as fundamental freedoms. But the tidal wave of paranoia and fear has been largely washed away by prudent skepticism from the American public, and current bipartisan efforts in Congress are moving to regain those liberties surrendered in the months following the attacks.
Some will look at this lack of change in a negative light, believing America needed a serious and permanent shake-up in response to the attacks.
They will complain of this seeming indifference to the tragedy, wishing the country would rise up, stand united in patriotic selflessness and forge a new role for America for the next century.
I share their vision and, like most Americans, I will applaud when that day arrives. But on this day, we should not bemoan a dream unfulfilled without recognizing the nightmare that was avoided.
The most destructive terrorist act in history did not destroy the foundations of our society. It didn’t even fracture them. Our government looks very much the same as it did one year and one day ago. Most people live very much the same lives. We go to the same jobs, listen to the same music, go to the same movies.
It’s not glorious, and it’s not dramatic. But when facing an enemy bent on destroying American life, this is victory enough.
–Matt Lynch ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in English and political science.
