After Sept. 11, politicians and the media encouraged Americans to respond to the attacks by showing who they really are. "Never Forget" became the go-to saying, and none of us ever has. But those arguing for patience and diplomacy found it difficult to get their point across when the wound of the act was still so fresh. It was an evil attack: Innocent citizens were killed because terrorists didn't approve of the American way of life and of our foreign policy. First responders performed their duties with courage; bystanders and non-profits and communities supported survivors and the families of victims.
But the aftermath of 9/11 promoted an "us vs. them" mentality that the country hasn't recovered from. So when BBC journalist Maryam Zohdi posted a tweet highlighting the impact of Trump's election to the impact of the attacks that rocked the country 15 years ago, I understood her point. "Two dates America will never forget 9/11 and 11/9. #TrumpPresidency," the journalist wrote.
Like Zohdi, I believe there is some connection you can make between Now. 9 and and the day following 9/11, even if they're very different in scale.
Some people have echoed Zohdi's sentiment:
People are highlighting the severity of the two days:
Some are saying it simply:
Others are focusing on New Yorkers' reactions:
Some are calling the situation a nightmare:
Others using hashtags to make their points:
Actor Richard Schiff joined the conversation:
As did this professor:
Some are turning their thoughts into a memorable phrase:
I live in New York City. And a few friends of mine have commented that walking the streets the morning of Trump's election felt similar to walking them in the days after the Sept. 11 attacks. People are somber and reaching out to one another with condolences. Many, many people who stand to lose something with the celebration of Trump's racist, sexist, homophobic, and Islamophobic positions are genuinely afraid for their well-being and for their lives. We don't know what happens next. We don't know how the country will move forward. Something broke for many of us on Wednesday, and the road to fixing it seems long.
