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Here are some of the frequently asked questions from the September 11th call-in:
Why do people commit terrorism?
People commit terrorism to draw attention to a particular cause. Terrorists typically belong to relatively small group. They don?t have the resources of a national army, and they don?t have enough support to win political changes peacefully. Instead, they use violence or the threat of violence to attract the media attention that will put the spotlight on their issues.
Why do people in other countries hate us?
Some people don?t like the United States because it has so much power and influence in the world. American t.v. shows and pop singers have become popular around the world. People in other countries sometimes fear that American popular culture will drown out their own culture and traditions. The terrorists who attacked the United States on 9/11 oppose the spread of American culture which they consider to be evil. They also oppose U.S. policies in the Middle East, particularly U.S. support of the nation of Israel.
Why do airport security people single out certain people to be searched because of the way they look?
(This answer was provide by Dr. Robert Richards, co-director of the Center for the First Amendment.)
Racial profiling occurs when government agents or law enforcement officers search or detain a person because of that person's race, ethnicity, or religion. While such profiling can be considered a form of illegal discrimination, we know it unfortunately does occur in this country. You may recall that shortly after September 11th, some pilots refused to fly if people of Arab descent were on board. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, incidents of racial profiling at the nation's airports are on the decline. The U.S. Department of Transportation continues to monitors airports and has begun a campaign to stop discrimination against Arab and Muslim Americans. A new law called the Aviation and Transportation Security Act may help to minimize these incidents of discrimination.
Will the United States go to war?
In a quiet way, the U.S. is already at war. It?s just a different type of war because the enemy is a secretive group, not a particular country that can be easily targeted. As a result, instead of sending large armies into battle, this war is being fought mainly by small special military units that often operate with as much secrecy as the terrorists.
Is Osama bin Laden dead or alive?
U.S. officials don?t know for sure whether Osama bin Laden is dead or alive. Some officials suspect that he died in a U.S. attack near the Afghanistan city of Tora Bora, but his body was never found. In a recent interview, some associates of bin Laden?s claimed that he was still alive, yet they referred to him in the past tense, leading some observers to believe that he is actually dead.
How many people made it out of the World Trade Center?
No one knows for sure how many people made it out of the WTC. At peak capacity, each building held 50,000 people. In the early morning hours, the towers would not have been filled to capacity. Nonetheless, thousands of people are believed to have escaped.
Will the World Trade Center be rebuilt?
Public officials and citizens are currently discussing proposals to build something on the site of the WTC. They have not agreed what it will be, but it is likely to include both a memorial and office space. Most people agree that office space is necessary in order to keep New York?s downtown area strong economically. It?s unlikely that anything as tall as the WTC towers will be built.
Will America ever be the same?
Experts continue to debate what the long-term impact of 9/11 will be. Some believe that it depends on the future of terrorism. If the United States successfully prevents future attacks, 9/11 may become a date in history. If, as others believe, the threat of terrorism continues, security and surveillance measures lead to many changes in the United States.
Will there be more terrorist attacks?
U.S. officials say they do expect future attacks. The challenge, they say, is to try to prevent them and to react quickly to them to prevent widespread damage. Emergency workers, engineers, and public officials have learned many lessons from 9/11 that they plan to use to minimize the harm terrorists can cause.
How do we know that the passengers on Flight 93 tried to fight the hijackers?
Some of the passengers on Flight 93 talked on cell phones to family members and indicated that they planned to counterattack. Although cockpit recordings were not made public, the officials and victims? family members who listened to them said that the tapes indicated a counterattack. The fact that the plane did not reach its destination, (probably the U.S. Capitol) also suggests that the terrorists encountered resistance.
How did the terrorists get their weapons through the metal detectors at the airports?
There is now agreement that before September 11th, the security standards at many airports were not very high. It would be much more difficult to sneak a weapon past security guards today.
Why have there been more kidnappings since 9/11?
There haven?t really been more kidnappings. It?s just that some particularly tragic kidnappings received a great deal of media attention. The focus on the kidnappings led many people to believe that such crimes are on the rise. Authorities do not believe that any of the recent high profile kidnappings were related to the 9/11 terrorists.
Is it safe for Americans to travel to other countries?
The U.S. State Department issues travel advisories about countries that might not be safe for Americans. If you are planning to travel abroad, you might want to check with the State Department which issues advisories to American travelers at: http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html.
How was this the same or different than Pearl Harbor---was that terrorism also?
Pearl Harbor was an act of war committed by the military of one country mainly against the military of another. The 9/11 attacks were acts of terrorism because they were not carried out by a regular military representing a country. Rather, individuals motivated by hatred attacked innocent and unsuspecting civilians.
Why didn?t the terrorists attack the White House?
Flight 93 apparently was assigned to a target in Washington D.C. It may have been the White House, but one suspected terrorist in captivity claims that the destination was the U.S. Capitol.
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