What are your anecdotal impressions about the mood/ culture of the US

[Thtwudbeme]

immediately following the events on 9/11?

Mine are not positive. I saw an uptick in knee jerk patriotism, and general ugliness to people who did not support the Bush team.

I was bartending for tuition to grad school and had people ordering "freedom fries." Seemingly intelligent folks started carrying pistols into the bar (yep- I know that was illegal- the owners did not care).

Outside of work, I was buying a book of stamps at the post office to mail invitations to a wedding shower. I specifically asked for "pretty stamps with flowers on them." A man behind me got in my face and asked me if I had "an issue with the United States of America." (I told him to go fuck himself)

In my opinion, that was the day Americans lost their freaking minds- and twenty years later, it seems like that nutty nationalistic/ theocratic thinking led directly to the Tea Party and culminated in Trump/ QAnon.

Thoughts?

[BeerBarrelPolka]

1. I remember

A bunch of firefighter/emts in suburban Chicago referring to "themselves" as heroes because of what the firefighters did in NYC.

[Bluethroughu]

2. This was in the suburbs of Chicago also.

[Sherman A1]

4. It was pretty much everywhere as I recall.

I for one am sick to death of the hero worship of the military, police, and alike. They deserve respect most certainly but worship, I think not.

The real heroes of our society I believe are the workers in often mundane jobs quietly keep things going for each of us.

[Bluethroughu]

6. 100%!

[Thtwudbeme]

9. I can't stand the cultural worship of uniforms

fetus', "mommyhood," and conversely- the demonetization of public education employees.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

10. Agreed 100%

[Sherman A1]

3. Precisely

I completely agree.

Previously to that I recall after the hostages were take. In Iran during the Carter years I was driving to work and noted a new very tall flag pole had been erected on the lot of a strip center I passed each day during the early morning commute. It was sporting a huge American 🇺🇸 Flag and I all I could think of was nationalistic zealots and how I was just a bit fearful of them.

[Bluethroughu]

5. I remember bush talking about the terror levels, and

making a safe room in your house with duct tape and plastic.
This is when the major prepping began. People went bizerk, and have not stopped.

There has been a war against thinking since 9/11. People are more reactive now.

This is why we have so many dying maskholes.

[Thtwudbeme]

7. oh crap- I forgot about that plastic and duct tape shit

Yep. People were suddenly seeing "terrorists" on every corner- and they were all out to "get us."

France was a terrible country because they refused to join in the jingoism and send troops to a country that had very little to do with then contemporary events.

[Bluethroughu]

8. Murica became the land of god, guns, flags,

and prepping for your own.

There is a serious mental health problem caused by 9/11.

It's triggered every year in these people, to keep it fresh in their minds.

By the way, whatever happened to the soldiers poor without next of kin that died over there and brought back to be dumped in the garbage dump?

So much sickness in the last 20 years.

[NickB79]

11. I was a junior in college at the time

St. Cloud State University was and still is a blue speck in a sea of red in rural Minnesota (Michelle Bachman territory). Went to my first class of the day, then all classes were cancelled.

Multiple students of Arabic descent on campus were assaulted, both verbally and physically that day.

Gas lines stretched blocks, because people thought we were going to nuke the Middle East.

My roommate, who was Bangladeshi, was called a terrorist and beaten up by a few white guys at the bars the next weekend. The cop threatened to arrest HIM if he didn't get the fuck out of there. He literally cried in my arms that night as I tried to comfort him.

[Thtwudbeme]

12. I swear I hate 9/11 and all the hyperbolic jingoism associated with it

Americans turned ugly that day- and have not stopped.

[underpants]

13. Complete shut down of dissent wrapped in false patriotism

which turned into nationalism