The tragedy of 9/11, that killed around 3,000 Americans, has left an impact on the United States that is still seen today in it’s people. Since that day the feeling of insecurity, fear and anger became prevalent in many Americans. For some, it was a call to blind hatred towards Muslims. This event shaped the way many youth have grown up, and has brought names that are forever engraved. Most importantly it took away many innocent lives and left the survivors of the attack physically and mentally scarred.

When this event happened there was a realization that America wasn’t as safe as previously believed. There were increases in security measures taken in public spaces, especially in airports. Pat-downs, x-rays, and metal detectors are now commonplace in airports and are even expected. People now get randomly selected for pat-downs and searches at any moment, and are usually profiled if their nationality or religion is noticeable. People speaking their native language can be also zoned in on, recently, as reported by CNN, a Berkeley student was kicked off a Southwest flight and questioned by the FBI for speaking Arabic.

These incidents are not just done by official corporations, Muslims have also been randomly attacked by fellow citizens. In these cases not only have people been left horribly injured, but some have died as of result. Recently a UK woman had her traditional Muslim clothing burned during a visit in New York, as covered by BBC News. In another case reported by CNN, two women along with their children in strollers were allegedly attacked by a woman who attempted to take off their hijabs.

America’s post 9/11 youth has grown up knowing names that weren’t as widely known before. Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda have become household names, and other terrorist groups like ISIS continue to spread throughout media and news feeds. For the past 15 years it seems America hasn’t gone a day without a report on terror incidents.

It’s estimated almost 3,000 people were killed in 9/11, these lives can never be replaced and are forever missed. Some families have yet to even receive confirmation if their loved ones died in the incident, and are left with never truly knowing. The incident ended so many lives before reaching their prime. Some were left with physical disabilities while others have mental illnesses, each are often dealt with constantly by them.

The terror that 9/11 left behind has left world in a constant state of paranoia. People are scared of each other and of foreigners. Its negatively affected many people both directly and indirectly involved, and much like the Attack on Pearl Harbor it’s become an event forever engraved in the minds and hearts of people. It kick started a widespread fear that could not have been predicted and may be irreversible.