Monday, September 13, 2010

Reflective Post 3 9/11 Exhibit

The Newseum experience was thoroughly enlightening and allowed me to view national crises from the view point of newsmakers themselves. I viewed the 9/11 exhibit, Katrina exhibit, and the Pulitzer Prize winning photos’ exhibit; I will however, only reflect on the 9/11 exhibit.

9/11 and Katrina were exceptional crisis that both uniquely shocked and provoked deep emotions in the United States. So, it was interesting seeing journalistic impartiality side-lined in these two events. Reporters not only witnessed and reported these events, but there was an emotional sensitivity that defied traditional reporting.

The terrorist attacks were by far one of the greatest catastrophes in the nation’s history. The post 9/11 era is an epoch in and of itself and one which we are currently witnessing and in many ways defining. The collective character and sentiments of the country were flagrantly breached on that day. The news reporting on 9/11 was not an impartial analysis of some attack but rather aligned with the sentiments of the larger population. I remember in the video how one journalist described the event as one that made him cry consistently throughout his reporting; something he had never done before. The centerpiece of the exhibit, the contorted antenna, served as a physical reminder of the attacks. Viewing the antenna reminded me of how 9/11 has impacted me personally.

There is a popular perception in the Muslim community that on 9/11 there were two attacks; 1, against the innocent civilians that lost their lives, and 2, against Muslim-Americans and Muslims around the world. The attacks served to satisfy the ambitions of a small portion of billion-plus followers. In no way were the attackers brazen acts consistent with the beliefs of Muslims around the world. As a result of the attacks, Muslims in the U.S. were stigmatized and discriminated against. We can see the bigotry and hate against Muslim- Americans still persistent today with the Park 51 Mosque controversy and the Quran burning fiasco.

Those few days after 9/11 were days of collective grief and healing, and in sense anger. These were sentiments of the entire population and these sentiments were encapsulated by news reports on the attacks. The grief of the nation was the also the grief of Muslim Americans. Muslims also had to heal, and they were equally as angered by the attacks. In no sense was our duty as Americans compromised by our Muslim identity.

But in the months and years after 9/11 there is an “us” vs. “them” complex which has gained massive popularity. With U.S. foreign policy centered around the attacks and heavily embroiled in the Muslim world, a general suspicion of Muslims has arisen.

9/11 is considered a tragedy for all Americans. In order to defeat the hate and bigotry that inspired those attacks; we can respond by striving for a society that is an anathema to hate and bigotry.

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