American Terrorism

Alexander Broughton

Week 6

Section A02

“Status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.’ ” - Ronald Reagan

When I read about the onset of normativity into American society following the tragic events of 9/11, I couldn’t help but think about what Ronald Reagan said about the status-quo. Puar and Rai mentioned that the effects of 9/11 extended beyond immediate physical and emotional pain--they created a monster out of the mainly white U.S. population. I believe that the implementation of the status quo intends not to increase solidarity and patriotism, but rather to destroy dialectical discussion and thoughtful action. The very essence of a free democracy is not about one-sided debates, it's about speaking on each other’s terms until a compromise or realization can be made. It is no surprise that after a strong sense of racist, anti-Islamic, and further anti-Sikh sentiments took root in the fearful public, the U.S. made the rash decision to invade Iraq. Until that moment that we can truly be unbiased in our thoughts and actions, we must remain a burden to humanity. I have suggested before that the education is the best way to implement a large-scale ideology change. The U.S., however is implementing a new form of hegemony out of the “fear of terrorism.” They claim that racially-biased selection at airports or in citizenship grants are for the greater good and the safety of the American people. In my mind it is only their fear of what they don’t understand--a fear of ambiguity. It now begs the question: with racism so embedded in the education system and in the institution, is it even possible to change the mindset of the American public?