Should We Forget 9/11?

My name is Kali Schellenberg and I am a sophomore considering concentrating in international relations. I hope to gain from this class not only a sound background in the subject but also the ability to critically analyze and understand international events.
To answer the question posed in class, I believe that we should remember 9/11; however, it should not govern our foreign policy. We must remember the event that took place that day, those who died in it, those who planned it and carried it out, and, most importantly (and often times most ignored), the possible causes for such an action. 9/11 was a wake-up call for most Americans regarding the opinions shared by a faction of people who through terroristic methods wield a disproportionate amount of power to inflict death and fear. To forget 9/11 would be to become ignorant once again of their existence and beliefs. No country should be unaware of its reputation internationally, as it is perceptions that can govern interactions that take place between international actors. Knowledge of both our reputation and of the rationale behind anti-western sentiment can be used in ways that do not involve violent militaristic endeavors. History shows that fundamentalism, terrorism, and violence are not endemic to Islam and the Middle East. Therefore, it should be our goal to understand and examine the conditions in these countries that have led to a rise in these violent approaches. With this information we can then try to prevent the continued rise of radical fundamentalism as well as somehow facilitate the creation of a state whose conditions do not breed the kind of anger and resentment we saw expressed on 9/11.
That being said, the United States' foreign and domestic policy should not be myopically focused on terrorism. There are many issues such as poverty (both globally and at home), global warming, human rights violations and genocide as well as disease (to name a few) that have extremely important consequences. Global poverty and starvation, for instance, kills more children daily than were killed on 9/11. An over-preoccupation with the war on terror pushes poverty and other vital issues to the margins, which is unacceptable. The United States must be able to balance the global war on terror with other issues which equally, if not more so, endanger lives on a daily basis.
Thus, in remembering 9/11 the United States gains valuable knowledge about the nature of terrorism and, if this knowledge is used productively, the United States can help ensure its future safety. However the singular event, 9/11, should not be the cornerstone, the excuse, the rationalization, for all of our international actions.

Posted by Kali Schellenberg on September 17, 2007 10:53 PM | Permalink

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