Disunity has thrown country into chaos
Soon, the anniversary of Sept. 11 will be upon us, and the memories of those who lost their lives on that fateful day will captivate our attention — but for how long? A fleeting moment is all we usually allot for reflection on Sept. 11 despite the existing ramifications of that day in the history of the United States. If anything, it has left this nation in chaos.
The political arena has been so irrevocably altered that many students are daunted at the idea of even bothering to involve themselves with politics much longer.
Americans were united in the months after 9/11, but shortly after business as usual returned. The decision to declare war in Afghanistan and Iraq was not unanimous, causing people to disagree and be vocal about that decision. Since then, the wars have become costly and a lightning rods for discussion revolving around American foreign policy and the government’s role in general.
The war led in part to a return of partisan politics, which has infected almost every aspect of the United States government.
The political factions that arose after 9/11 to originally encourage thought and discussion have become counterproductive to creating any sort of unison among citizens. Most importantly, they have instead created hostility that permeates Congress in nearly every decision made. Outside of Congress, this hostility even travels to the streets among the public.
If anything, the political arena of the United States has become even more divided, not more unified, after Sept. 11. I vividly remember watching the news and hearing news casters say things like, “This is our time to be unified as one nation, under God,” and most of us nodded our heads in agreement. But are we still united?
If we take a microscope to the changing nature of politics since 2001, we will notice that some issues have become prominent: a severe recession, ultra-conservative backlash by factions such as the Tea Party, and, most of all, disunity.
The Republicans and Democrats still do not agree over how to resolve the economic crisis and, as a result, our economy is still suffering while partisanship continues to lead to inaction.
Additionally, the Tea Party used the events of Sept. 11 as an excuse to create an ultra-right winged faction rearing its head against immigrants and minorities. Above all, members are proponents of a strong military presence in America but without cuts in the defense spending.
People told many jokes about the worker at the 7-Eleven and how he or she could potentially be a terrorist. Racial profiling ran amok from government agencies, such as TSA, to just regular people walking on the street giving anxious and fearful looks to Middle Easterners.
It’s easy to say such a catastrophic event spurred conversation and expression of thought between two diametrically opposed sections of the country, claiming that partisanship led to debate and compromise. Most of all, it’s easy to say we are united. But we shouldn’t allow the desire to be a cohesive country glaze our eyes over in seeing the true realities of Sept. 11.
The scars are obviously prevalent, and it is sound to say that the conversation that stemmed from that day wasn’t necessarily healthy.
Mellissa Linton is a sophomore majoring in English. Her counterpoint runs Fridays.
Disunity is what in fact we have. in Washington, Republicans are not agreen with pesident Obama proposals.
An the so call ” Tea Party” that is a Joke.. Stop the stupid Tea Party. they are only good to spend MY TAX DOLLARs you ILITERATE people .
As a movement, The Tea Party is not a political party nor is looking to form a third political party any time soon. The Tea Party movement, is instead, about reforming all political parties and government so that the core principles of our Founding Fathers become, once again, the foundation upon which America stands THIS IS WHAT A “TEA PARTY IS SUPPOSED TO BE.. But is NOT… so GET RID of Them . Americans need to stay together. or we are going to loose this Country and we will be begging The Chinese for Rice to eat very soon.
Do you really have to comment if you can’t spell or write a sentence properly? No one cares about your rant.
Judging by who is in power now I think you need to redefine illiterate you most intolerant person. As a conservative I find that the liberal arm of politics is the most intolerant and racist to those that don’t agree with them.
Please get a new rant…your starting to sound like your president, predictable, inexperienced and un-American.
(I’m waiting for your ad hominem attack now)
I’ll be attending my first Tea Party meeting this coming Monday night. I’ll be sure to rear my head (and it’s an ugly one)! I think I have some idea of where your head is.
The Tea Party has nothing to do with 9/11. Are you insane?
Matt, that’s your response? Does anyone understand what you are trying to say? Your remarks are devoid of logic, reason, facts, evidence, examples or anything else substantive.
I thought my point was obvious, but let me elaborate. The Tea Party and 9.11 have nothing to do with one another. The Tea Party didn’t even come into existence until a couple years ago. They also don’t have anything to do with national defense or security, but that’s besides the point. So to say that the Tea Party used 9/11 as an excuse to…. as the author says, is completely ludicrous. It’s not even a matter of opinion, it’s just a fact!
I am glad this is an opinion piece and not some sort of journalistic reporting endeavor. Even so when an opinion is based on such factual inaccuracies I can only attribute it to a untra left viewpoint rearing its head. The Tea Party has nothing to do with 9/11 but everything to do with the left leaning taxing distributive policies of Obama’s administration. Taxed Enough Already is where the name comes from. Also while there may have been the occassional incidents of people joking at 7-elevens, as a person with brown skin I can proudly say that this nation was remarkably restrained in it’s reaction after 9/11. I am not sure the general population in other countries would have been this restrained. I personally or my family have never experienced any racial profiling.
Please check your facts Melissa before you opine. It will give credibility to what you say.
The author and editor of this article are idiots. Fact check from time to time. The Tea Party was inspired by September 11?
Don’t insult the 2996 people who died in those attacks like that. It’s inappropriate, demeaning, un-American, and utterly wrong.
True realities. My kinda reality.
Wait what?
“The Tea Party used the events of 9/11 as an excuse to create an ultra-right winged faction rearing its head against immigrants and minorities? Above all, members are proponents of a strong military presence in America but without cuts in the defense spending.”
Dear Author,
The Tea Party didn’t even exist until 2009!! That is honestly one of the most ridiculously wrong statements I’ve ever seen in the Daily Trojan. In addition, Tea Party members are not proponents of a “strong military presence in America” (whatever that means)- they focus on fiscal issues and government spending and debt. Many of them are actually ANTI military spending and adventurism overseas because of its cost.
Does anyone at the Daily Trojan edit the articles written? Don’t you have editors? I’m truly embarrassed by some of the work that comes out of this paper.
If you are going to have such terrible writers, at least make them write about parties or frats, not worldly issues where ignorance will rear its ugly head.
Sincerely,
Disappointed reader.
Perfectly said Max,
It’s too bad the DT has stooped this low, they must be desperate for material. This doesn’t even qualify as opinion, it’s just partisan dribble.
But don’t be disappointed, this is what we can and should expect from the DT.