Introduction
Not only US citizens reacted to the horrible event of 9/11, but countries all around the globe were concerned. The public eventually supported the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but that support eventually faded (BU Today staff, 2021). Americans reported that many could not stop watching news reports about the assaults (Hartig & Doherty, 2021). The 9/11 terrorist attacks had a profound impact on people and governments all over the world, influencing how those nations mobilized to prevent and combat both domestic and foreign terrorism.
Discussion
People worldwide experienced shock and devastation regarding the terroristic attack in the USA. Most individuals likewise found it frightful to watch, but most still did. They ranked the attacks as one of the most significant historical events of their lives one year after (Hartig & Doherty, 2021). Major cities continued to experience higher levels of terrorism anxiety than smaller rural towns and cities. The months that proceeded were notable for a unique sense of societal cohesion.
Following 9/11, Americans came together to support the political establishment and the country’s key institutions. Many people resorted to religion and faith, and the majority reported that they were praying more frequently. The public believed that the military operation to dismantle terrorist networks would be successful. For many years, there was massive support for the intervention in Afghanistan. Terrorism became considered to be a top issue by the majority of Republicans and Democrats. After 9/11, many Americans realized that civil liberties must be given up to combat terrorism. The majority of people thought it was essential to abandon certain civil rights. Eventually, 25% of Americans in 2001 believed Islam was much more likely than some other religions to incite violence (Hartig & Doherty, 2021). Republicans began to link Muslims and Islam to violence more frequently.
Conclusion
Overall, public opinion in the U.S. after 9/11 shows how a severely shaken country momentarily united in the sense of mourning and patriotism. Still, not only the USA but the whole world started perceiving the terrorism issue more seriously. People’s perceptions of Muslims have changed negatively and increased intolerance towards the religion. Moreover, it stimulated the intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan to fight terrorist groups.
References
BU Today staff. (2021). How 9/11 changed the world. Boston University. Web.
Hartig, H. & Doherty, C. (2021). Two decades later, the enduring legacy. Pew Research Center. Web.