The Nation’s Response to 9/11

Memorial lights mark the location of the former Twin Towers, which were destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attacks ("World Trade Center Memorial," Wikipedia, 2004)

In the days, weeks, and months after the September 11 attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., there was an extraordinary period of national unity. Born out of that unity was a broad spirit of cooperation, regardless of political party affiliation or any other kind of social or economic differences, and a commitment to work together as a nation to clean, rebuild, and strike back at the terrorists who attacked us. Congress almost unanimously voted to support military retaliation against those who planned and orchestrated the attacks — not a single senator and only one House member voted against taking such action.

What factors contributed to this spirit of cooperation and compromise?

1. The most significant unifying factor after 9/11 was the reality that America had been attacked without provocation and thousands of Americans had been killed on American soil. Throughout American history, the greatest times of national unity, patriotism, and consensus have come in response to threats from external enemies. American men, women, and children from all walks of life felt a closeness and shared sense of loss experienced by the families of the victims. The tragedy was real, and it was close to home.
2. The issue in question — should we respond with force against those who attacked us or not — was not complicated. It took some time to assemble information about who had planned and funded the attacks and there were questions about how to most effectively respond. However, on the simple question of whether or not to respond there was near unanimity. Even beyond that, the issue remained fairly simple: once the backers and trainers of the terrorists were identified, there was broad agreement that those individuals and organizations should be attacked and destroyed.
3. While President Bush had won a disputed contest for the presidency less than a year before the attacks, the way he handled the situation won him broad support in Congress, internationally, and in public opinion polls. Other leaders, like New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, also inspired confidence. The people rallied around them and followed their lead.

The cooperative, consensual response to 9/11 arose from the clear and present danger the attacks represented to the American people, the uncomplicated nature of the decisions to be made, and effective leadership.