Can you even remember what life was like before September 11, 2001? It seems not one facet of American society was left untouched as the nation reformed its mindset from that day on. Two wars, one presidential election and countless orders of "freedom fries" later, the United States of today seems only vaguely reminiscent of its former self. With all due respect to the immediate death toll, the terrorist attacks that took place four years ago made their biggest impression not by direct impact, but through a more enduring result.

No matter how catastrophic the physical events of that unsuspecting day were, the most potent and lingering effects of the events of Sept. 11 resulted from the political exploitation of the tragedy.

Had anyone doubted the American resolve prior to Sept. 11, 2001, they were proven to be badly mistaken.

For a brief period, people in the United States forgot the issues that traditionally divided them as they united through their shared feelings of vulnerability, fear and anger. Citizens hung flags on every block, patriotic anthems were played nonstop, and Americans seemed to relate to each other more than ever before. Sadly, while Sept. 11 proved capable of bringing out the best in people, those in power proved equally capable of using the tragedy to bring out the worst.

As difficult as it is to picture now, 2001 saw a presidency struggling to maintain legitimacy — a presidency so low on mandate it would never see its agenda realized. President George W. Bush, having clinched the highest office in the world with a 5-4 Supreme Court decision, had been off to a particularly rough start in his new job.

With the public skeptical of his policy plans, long vacations and apparent inability to properly ingest snack foods, President Bush's approval ratings hinted at an already-doomed reelection bid. On Sept. 11, 2001, however, a new window of opportunity opened for "W."

Despite his highly criticized immediate reaction to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 (perhaps a telling sign of President Bush's crisis responses to come), Americans were desperate for a leader, and they created one in the president. Realizing the potential of a United States craving direction, the Bush administration harnessed the unfocused energy of a fearful public and channeled it into a predetermined foreign and domestic policy agenda.

Before long, President Bush spent general public support for national solidarity on things like tax cuts, education reform and war. With the administration having made momentous gains in political capital, it almost seemed the policy issue least addressed by President Bush was the war on terror, although lip-service reminding Americans of their leader's wartime importance was certainly paid.

Today, rather than standing in unity, the United States comprises sharply divided political factions between which the animosity is more intense than ever. In pleasing its own base of support, the Bush administration has alienated mainstream America. The middle ground between "left" and "right" — two terms made tiresome by their excessive use in this hostile political environment — is eroding quickly. Such polarization could hardly have been expected on Sept. 12, 2001.

Sept. 11, 2001 created the potential for unprecedented American unity. By using the raw emotions of people reeling from a tragedy for his own political agenda, President Bush alienated half of a United States that so wanted to stand together in a cause. Despite its horrific immediate damage, the real tragedy of Sept. 11 has been its political abuse resulting in the division of a nation.

Rob Rossmeissl ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science.