"Oh my, folks! We could be witnessing the greatest upset in the history of the world! If you're just joining us, we're ringside in what has turned out to be a surprising, one-sided boxing match. Bin Laden, out of the "dead" corner, is taking full control of the blue corner's, Sammy Stripes, and is on pace to end the fight with a knock-out blow!"
Ever since the tragic events on Sept. 11, 2001, American security measures have increased immensely. With this increase, there has been a corresponding, and somewhat inevitable, rise of fear within Americans, including myself.
This fear has hindered my ability to remain calm in uncontrollable situations, specifically traveling on planes. I can't travel on a plane without a pre-flight panic attack followed by a superstitious routine that includes contemplating whether or not I should pay attention to the safety briefing.
Once my palms begin to dry from the sweat, the plane begins to take off and my uneasiness subsides for a short while until the plane is off the ground. Then, it's "say-your-prayers" time. The fate of everyone on the plane is entrusted to the pilot, who, for all we know, could be an undercover terrorist and has a secret landing spot in the Pacific Ocean he'd like to show us.
After hours at the cruising altitude, the pilot finally asks the cabin to prepare for landing, and all I am thinking is, "listen man, you prepare for landing! Get this damn bird on the ground!" As the plane closes in on touching down, fear of an unsuccessful landing settles in. But as soon as the plane lands safely and that fasten seatbelt sign is turned off, it's as if I just came up for air after getting pummeled by a cascade of waves.
Yeah, you could say I have a fear of flying, but what American doesn't? Don't you think the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 have anything to do with it? You'd be lying if you said they didn't.
For me, this hysteria has gotten so bad I can't even go to the bathroom on a plane without thinking a bomb might be triggered by flushing the toilet, or, better yet, the flight attendants were paid off by hijackers who have machine guns. I mean, the possibilities are endless, especially in today's world of technology, advanced knowledge, and continued conflict.
Kathleen Parker, an opinion writer for The Washington Post , shares this idea by stating, "something was unleashed 10 years ago that bears our scrutiny. It wasn’t only evil, though the attacks were certainly that. The event was so cataclysmic and horrifying that it caused a sort of emotional breakdown in the American constitution. Simply put, it damaged our collective soul and seems to have released a free-ranging hysteria that has contaminated our interactions ever since."
But, let's be honest, we're screwed either way. Osama bin Laden and his followers have successfully crippled the American people. It's the whole "damned if you do, damned if you don't" philosophy. If we take preventative measures, it's almost as if we have no peace of mind, always fearful of something disastrous to happen. Then, if we don't prepare for a dangerous attack, well, I don't even want to go there.
My fear of flying is one thing, but is this fear one big slippery slope affecting our everyday lives? Again, I'd be lying if it weren't the case. According to Parker, "being for or against the war, first in Afghanistan and later in Iraq, divided us as wars do, but this time was different. Friendships ended, marriages suffered, people crossed the street to avoid those with whom they disagreed. Ten years later, we are still at war. Tack on the global financial crisis, stagnant unemployment, the further dissolution of trust in our institutions, and we have all the ingredients for moral panic.
To me, the tragic events on Sept. 11, 2001 have lingered in the hearts and minds of Americans, festering like a bacteria, plaguing our everyday lives. It's almost as if Osama bin Laden's ultimate attack on Americans wasn't manifested through planes crashing into buildings so much as it was a virus of fear he implanted into the American people.
Looking back, I never thought that such a tragedy conspired by one man could be so detrimental to one nation. Granted, bin Laden is no slouch, but we're talking about the United States of America, the biggest, baddest, SOB on the block!
"Gee Larry, I don't know how much more Stripes is going to be able to take! We're 10 rounds into this fight and bin Laden has been in control all night."
"Yeah Jim, but all Stripes needs is one big punch to get back in this fight."
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