'September 11' Attacks Recalled

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 10, 2002

'September 11' Attacks Recalled

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Memorial to "Sep.11th " Event in US

"September 11" had been a most adverse bad day striking the deepest grief and pain into the hearts of the American people, which had not only aroused great patriotism but also fueled countrywide national sentiment to fight terrorism.

The American people long like putting up national flags. After all their flags were sold out shortly after the "September 11" terror attacks, related US departments were reported to have ever turned to flag makers in China. Now, on the eve of the first anniversary of "September 11", the American people all have their houses, streets and cars decked out with their Stars and Stripes and voluntarily replaced those weathered with new ones bought.

The American people also gave vent to their passion by changing political attitudes, supporting a president once they opposed. George W. Bush won no more than half of votes in 2000 presidential election, but had come to enjoy a supporting rate soaring to as much high as 90 percent after the September attacks, which remained still above 60 percent one year later. Even his old democratic rivals expressed full support for his anti-terrorism fight representing the groundwork Bush's unilateral foreign policy has been laid in America.

Unprecedented enthusiasm was shown in American youth, many with university degrees had enrolled themselves in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the US army and for this CIA leaders had been overjoyed. As for the US army, over the past decade it had been worried about thousands of unfulfilled recruitment vacancies every year, with the recruitment work usually ending on September 30. While this year the US air force announced end of recruitment as early as in May and the land force also finished its quotas recently. As for the navy, the quota was smaller because many servicemen volunteered to extend their service term. It must be said that some youngsters were forced into the army for a countryside low employment rate, but still many others were wholly out of patriotism.

By "September 11" terror attacks complete havoc had been wrought in the life of the American people. According to latest poll by CNN and Times, most people think the terror attacks had completely changed their way of life, and don't believe their country would return to its normal past. Up to now there are still nearly 30 percent American adults recall the terrorist attacks every day; 35 percent think of it several times every week; and 27 percent every month. Only 6 percent said "almost never think of it". Sixty eight percent Americans hold that the attacks had changed their life; 56 percent think their life has not be back to normal and 54 percent said they would never return to the past. Only 4 percent believe their life will at last become normal.

Frequenting a bank branch, our PD reporter in the US got acquainted with a middle-aged black consultant. When asked whether he had relatives or friends fallen victim to "September 11" terror attacks, he said his family were safe and sound. But one of his university classmates went to work in World Trade Center that very day, and never came out. We came across the topic a few days ago, he said rather sadly that he never imagined the world's strongest country should suddenly become most "vulnerable", with its people found themselves in fear of terrorist attacks anywhere and at any time.

The anthrax warns has not been lifted and the FBI has investigated for nearly a year, they found nothing but had to return to the very beginning of their work. Newspapers stories were rampant saying terrorists would put chemical weapons into shopping malls' ventilation systems, hide "dirty bombs" containing radioactive material in containers and sneak into America by sea, spread smallpox virus in cities, or set off stolen nucleon weapons in any place of any city. It is not impossible suicide bomber would also appear in the nation. How much we hope all these fears are imaginary and groundless.

For most Americans, the life is no longer as affluent and comfortable as in the past. Due to broken stock bubbles around 700 million US dollars disappeared, a Washington report said. Economic depression has apparently slowed workers' salary growth, which now only stands at 1 percent. The lower the class, the smaller salary rise is, or no rise at all, which, would sadly deepen the gaps between the rich and the poor.

The report also said that American families have come to be weighed down by a heavier debt burden, with an average 109 percent debt of family income in 2001 and seven out of 1000 households had gone bankrupt, a proportion two times over 1989. Now the depression seems no end yet in the face of a rising unemployment rate expected next year.

Many families have begun to find ways to live on cut expenditures, with a lot of them giving up plans for making purchase of housing, cars or travel. Some retirees found jobs again to make up for a shrinking pension. Families of the laid-off are found in greater difficulties, some even begin to make use of coins saved from the past, resulting in a busy job by machines for changes in shops.

By PD Online Staff Member Li Heng

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