Beware: There are Terrorists Among Us!

9/11/01 Then and Now  Part 3 of 3 parts

In Part One, we remembered the tragic events of 9/11, realizing how this changed our national mindset forever. No longer complacent, we realized we were vulnerable to attacks on our own soil. Then in part two, amidst all the horror, the American Spirit prevailed, and the good moments were shared. But in the decade since the attacks, many have condemned Muslims, painting them all as terrorists. Is this a fair accusation? Who are the terrorists in our country?

 Beware: There are Terrorists Among Us!

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants, members of the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda, hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. They were from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations and financed by Osama bin Laden.

Yes, they certainly did an evil thing, killing more than they even imagined possible, as they had no idea the buildings would collapse. But it was intentional, and not the first time this group has attacked the US, even though not on our soil before.

But it is important to realize that they are EXTREMISTS,  meaning, way beyond the usual. Their actions are not the beliefs of normal followers of Islam. There were members of all faiths killed that day, including innocent Muslims, in the World Trade Center. 

It makes no more sense to blame all Muslims on the actions of these 19  terrorists than it does to blame all Americans for the actions of James Holmes, the guy that killed 12 and injured 58 more at the recent Batman movie.  If his plans had worked out, many more would’ve been killed, but his gun locked up and he had to change guns. His elaborate maze of booby-trapped lines and explosives were supposed to kill the police that he knew would investigate his apartment. There’s a good chance the entire building would’ve exploded, killing or injuring everyone in it.

James Holmes grew up attending the local Presbyterian Church, where his parents are still active. Do we blame all Christians for his actions? Why not? Isn’t that what we do to all Muslims since 9/11?

Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols killed 168 adults and children, in Oklahoma City when he set a bomb off in front of the federal building. I’m still haunted by the pictures of the bloody children they dug out from the daycare center there.

There have been others, including the bombing during the Atlanta Olympics, many school shootings, church shootings, and shooting sprees in shopping centers. People that do these acts are terrorists.

However, since 9/11, the MAJORITY of the terrorist attacks in this country have been by non-jhadist, non al-Quaeda, non-Muslim people! Sometimes they don’t have a particular group they identify with, but when they do, some have been members of white supremists groups.

There are 2.6 million Muslims in the United States Most of them are American citizens that work, buy houses, own businesses that employ others, and pay taxes. The majority were born here. They are peaceful and wish that others realized that the actions of the extremists do not represent them, or their religion.

Recently, there has been a lot of protesting in other countries by Muslims. Some, members of the same terrorist group that is responsible for 9/11, have killed some Americans in Libya. But what they don’t show as much on the news is that there are also Muslim groups that SUPPORT the US, that are mourning the loss of their friends that were killed.

The same people that discriminate against and hate all Muslims for the actions of a few, point to the few that are responsible for the killings and allow it to fuel their biased fire.  People like that are the kind of people that cause many of the problems.

Muslims, world-wide, are reeling at the vicious video created by an American. They are correct to see it as an attack on their faith. He portrays Mohammed in vile sex acts – they don’t even allow pictures of Mohammed, so are completely outraged. His notion of “free speech rights” is no different than yelling, “Fire!” in a crowded theatre, knowing that it would be inflammatory and incite riots. While I can’t condone killings, I understand their outrage.  It is an awful movie, one that everyone of faith, including Christians, should be condemning.

 

Terrorism is a horrible thing, regardless of who does it. Yet, despite the fact that more terrorism in the US has been done by Non-Muslims since 9/11, Muslims bear the brunt of the discrimination.

Sadly, many of the people that discriminate the most, claim to be Christians. Discrimination goes beyond denying access to facilities or clubs. It also includes not giving someone a fair chance, or spreading the false and slanderous viewpoints with others. A real Christian, one taught by Jesus Christ to love everyone, would not do this. If they do, then they aren’t really Christians. 

Beware of the real terrorists in the country. It just might not be who you expect it to be!

"9/11/01 Then and Now"

Part One Loss of an Attitude

Part Two The Bright Spots

I encourage you to view these:

The Sorry Project - a facebook page created by the people in Benghazi, Libya as they express their feelings about the loss of their friend, the ambassador  The Sorry Project

Muslims for America - a worldwide group  Muslims for America 

Libyan Reaction - A report about the arrest of those responsible for the killing of the US Ambassador and  3 members of this staff, in continued support of the US. http://www.libyaherald.com/?p=14462

The Loss of an Attitude: 9/11/01 Then and Now; Part 1

9/11/01 Then and Now  Part 1 of 3 parts

Nearly 3,000 people, from 58 countries were killed in an organized terrorist attack, including workers, civilian and military personnel, people in planes and those on the ground. Emergency workers including firemen, police, port authority, and EMS workers were among the victims. Suddenly, there was a huge hole in the mindset of the country.

The Loss of An Attitude

As early fall days go, the morning of September 11, 2001 promised to be a nice day, but not one we would ever really think about later. Unfortunately, most Americans alive that day, DO remember the day. They recall what they were doing when they heard what had happened, and also the reaction of those around them.

My memories of the day are almost as vivid now as they were weeks after they occurred. After everyone else left for the day, I went to the computer to work on a volunteer task I’d agreed to do. It was pleasant work, calling every church in Louisville to talk to them about an upcoming youth rally. 

Not long after I got started, Keith called to ask if I the TV on, and I told him, “No.” He told me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. We talked about it for a few minutes, assuming that it was a freak accident. Rather than put the TV on, since I already knew what had happened, I went back to my phone calls. 

Not long after, he called back, again asking if I were watching TV. He told me that another plane had hit the other tower. Today, 11 years later, I still get chill bumps even thinking about that call.

Suddenly, everyone realized that this was an intentional attack.  As we spoke, another plane hit the Pentagon and they realized that a plane was missing. Airports were shut down across the country and planes landed at the nearest place they could. As I watched on TV, I saw the video of the plane hitting the tower over and over, the people running away, jumping out of the building, and later, the horror of the collapsing buildings.

Literally out of the blue, life was different. The complacency we had was shattered.  There hadn’t been an enemy attack on our shores since Pearl Harbor. For the majority of us, it was before we were even born.

The next hours were a blur as hours shifted into days. It was at once horrible, yet I couldn’t turn away from the coverage. Working adults weren’t the only victims, as these people had families. Young children lost parents and grandparents. It still haunts me remembering that in some neighborhoods, the majority of the families lost a loved one, in some cases, more than one. Some of those killed in the planes were children, the youngest, only 2 years old.

In addition to the known fatalities, there were many missing people. Images of people wandering the streets and putting up posters looking for their loved ones fill my heart. Makeshift monuments were put up, with flowers and teddy bears. Some families lost multiple loved ones and friends.  I kept checking the posted lists of located people, looking for my friends’ loved ones. It seemed I couldn’t hold on to my own children enough, as I thought of those that no longer had the chance.

The rest of the country stood by helplessly, some touched by loved ones living in the areas affected or in the planes, but everyone touched in some way. The Red Cross was flooded with offers to give blood, yet most of the victims didn’t make it. That night, we all met at church for a community prayer service. It seemed that there wasn’t much we could do, but praying seemed the most logical. 

It was scary sending children off to school. My husband’s work was taking precautions because the word, “American” was in their business name. No one knew whether or not it was safe. Sure, there were no more planes into buildings, but not because the terrorists had been stopped, but because the national air travel had been stopped. People spent more time at home, partly due to reminders about the importance of family, but partly due to concerns about safety. Months later, we still worried about large gatherings of people, from football games, the Kentucky Derby, or the Olympics.

As I remember the hours, days, and weeks surrounding the events of 9/11, I am saddened. Certainly, I am sad because of the deaths of almost 3,000 people, those that were on the planes over Pennsylvania, New York City, and Washington, D.D., as well as those in the World Trade Center and in the Pentagon. In addition to those people, I'm sad remembering the first responders and people on the street that were killed as well.

But being sad due to these deaths is expected. There was a unified national shock, as people dealt with the horror, fear, grief, and confusion.  Some were known to be lost immediately, but there were so many missing as well. I remember regularly checking the lists of victims as friends and I looked for news of missing people we knew.

As sad as it was losing people, that is only part of the tragedy.  The innocence we lost as a country changed us as a people, forever.

Coming up:
Part 2:  The Bright Spots
Part 3: Beware! There are Terrorists Among Us!