It seems that the attacks which occurred on September 11, 2001 have changed the perception of war in the psyche of many Americans. Those of us who live in the United States have tended to view “war” as something that we sent our troops to, “over there”. It was not really something that was fought “over here”.
Living in the Hawaiian Islands, I sometimes pass by Pearl Harbor, and am reminded that war did come to American soil (or what was to become part of the United States), many years ago. Nonetheless, as it happened before my time, it seemed to have more of a historical kind of overtone to it, rather than the rawness of a fresh wound, such as the September 11 attacks inflicted on the psyche of those Americans who witnessed it, either in person, or through the media.
It seems that September 11 woke Americans from a kind of feeling of invincibility – “war” was something that happened far away, or long ago – not here at home, in the present day.
Now there is a kind of pall that lingers in our minds, perhaps slightly diminished by the nine years that have passed since those tragic events, but still there.
I’ve heard comments by people in other nations that it’s a normal part of their reality for them to live with the possibility of military invasion or attack.
We’ve been reminded that we’re vulnerable too – just as the rest of the world is…