September 11 Impact

The World Trade Center Site qualifies as a sacred place, quite depressingly, as Guilford would categorize: a category 9 sacred place, one of “burial or massacre” (Leonard and McClure, 321). As everyone well knows the World Trade Center Site was attacked by terrorist who had hijacked planes and crashed them into Towers One and Two on the morning of September 11th 2001. That date will forever be ingrained in America’s history as one of the most destructive attacks on this country. One of the simplest defining questions you can pose as a test is “Where were you on September 11th?” I guarantee without any hesitation or falter the person you ask can give you the exact place, approximate time, who called them, or what channel they first saw
There are many examples of how that day has forever changed the lives of every American. For starters, nearly three thousand (Wikipedia, Web) lost their lives between the impact of the aircraft, explosion, fire, smoke and inability to reach safety or descend prior to the buildings final collapse. Approximately four hundred and eleven emergency response and rescue personnel also lost their lives trying to assist and save those working within the towers that were trapped above the impact point of the aircraft. There was immediate economic impact as the market essentially crashed with the DOW declining more than 1,400 points within 10 days of the attack. All airlines and flights were frozen and grounded for days essentially bringing domestic travel to a halt. A terror alert color code system was instituted to inform the public of possible terrorist threats to vigilantly be on the lookout for. Airline travel restrictions to this day are still dramatically tightened based on simple tools the hijackers used as weapons. Following terrorist attempts like the shoe-bomber and even more recently the panty-bomber around this past Christmas also tested these increased security measures related to air travel. Prior to 2001 it used to be common place for family members to escort their loved ones to the departure
The World Trade Center site is inseparably linked to the other locations attacked that day by airline hijackers, both the Pentagon and the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Although several hundred miles away both locations are also sacred based primarily on their association with the loss of life in the attacks of that day. The hijackers intentionally selected American and United airlines flights to increase the damage and impact of their actions through symbolism. Vine Deloria would categorize these sites as sacred places at the agency of the scale as they are all directly created by human events (Leonard and McCoy, 322). Albeit there is a difference in religion, culture and belief in God that is the fundamental source for the extremist nature of Al Qaeda, it is not interpreted as part of American culture to have been an act of or on behalf of God. One may argue that those hijackers believed that they were acting on behalf of Allah. I will not assume to know their mind set, nor will I consider that as valid justification for the massacre of innocent civilians. I assert as my opinion that in the heart of hearts of those that organized the attacks, not even they truly believe they were