Another Cost of 9/11

Abstract

The 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks have long-standing psycho-social impacts that stay with the American public today. These impacts derive from the fear, insecurity, vulnerability, and incomprehensibility that resulted from the shock of 9/11. These impacts cannot be forgotten and create a constant anxiety of the terrorists next strike. These residual fears make us more vulnerable to panic with each succeeding terrorism event. These impacts were and are reinforced by the way the USG has responded to 9/11 - with fear itself. It has invested in two wars including a huge and continuing global war on terror and overt, massive security measures on U.S. soil to protect Americans from nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical weapons use by a terrorist. These fears have hindered Americans’ ability to recognize that such attacks, while having disastrous effects, are low probability events due to the actions of the USG and other partner governments to prevent such attacks. These reactions in Americans may be due to their relative unfamiliarity with what the USG is achieving in terms of improved security in the U.S. It is important for Americans to understand what security improvements are in place so they can find the collective strength to reduce their anxiety and handle future events with resilience. Americans also need to become capable of judging when these security investments should be decreased because they are no longer cost-effective. There are many other investments desperately needed to improve the overall health and well-being of Americans. The recent overreaction by the U.S. public and government to the introduction of the Ebola virus on the U.S. mainland is given as an example of the lasting impact of 9/11 psycho-social impacts. The overreaction was caused by unwarranted fears that led the public and some government leaders to dismiss the science and common sense and take needless precautions which reinforced Americans fears rather than dissipating them.