US Marks 21st Anniversary of 9/11

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Facts

  • On Sun., Americans commemorated the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which reconfigured US national security and marked the beginning of the US "war on terror."
  • On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda extremists - led by Osama Bin Laden - hijacked four planes and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3k people were killed and thousands injured.
  • Relatives of the victims, police officers, firefighters, and city leaders came together at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Lower Manhattan, where the names of those who died were read aloud as part of an annual tradition.
  • At the Pentagon Memorial Ceremony, Pres. Biden stated that 21 years was "both a lifetime and no time at all," and paid tribute to the "character of this nation" he said the terrorists failed to change.
  • Bonita Mentis, who lost her sister in the attacks, spoke in New York, saying, "it seems like just yesterday" to a crowd that included Vice President Kamala Harris.
  • Speaking at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, the plane which passengers tried to regain control of after fighting off the attackers, First Lady Jill Biden paid tribute to the Association of Flight Attendants.

Sources: NBC, Forbes, Al Jazeera, People, NPR Online News, and Wall Street Journal.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The Columbian. It's impossible to deny or forget the impact of 9/11 and the feeling of terror and sorrow experienced. Yet, with roughly 30% of the US population now younger than 21, the memories for each generation will be very different and the events of that day must continue to be passed on to ensure future decision-makers have an understanding of what happened.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Dawn. 21 years after 9/11, Muslims still face widespread Islamophobia in the US and the West. As all Americans, including Muslims, mark the anniversary of the attacks, we must fight off the spike in anti-Islam sentiment and rather remember who the real enemies and terrorists are.
  • Narrative C, as provided by Fox News. Today, roughly 41% of Americans believe the country is less safe than it was 21 years ago, a concerning increase from the 27% in 2003. With Afghanistan still under the control of the Taliban - with help from al-Qaeda - much more must be done by the US to commit to the fight against terrorism and to make sure an event like 9/11 never happens again.