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Culture > News

18 Years Later…Where Are We Now?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PS Behrend chapter.

Today is September 11th, and it’s a time to honor, grieve, and come together to remember all the people that helped and lost their lives on this day 18 years ago. They said time can heal, but after all these years, people still cannot even begin to forget and heal completely after the tragic event. Many who lost a loved one suffer PTSD and have complications in relation to this tragic event. I hope we can all be considerate of the day and be there for each other.

 It’s been eighteen years, and I’d like to take a look at a few things that have happened since. Some quick, but important, bullet points to look over, this is not a comprehensive list of the many things that have happened in relation to 9/11. These are the most recent, and most heard of, ones you may know: 

  • Trump administration is trying to end the eighteen-year-long war in Afghanistan…well at least try to get the NATO and United States presence out of there.

  • The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) is under scrutiny: 

    • There are an estimated 1.2 billion people on the TSDB. This number includes more than 4,600 Americans and Green Card holders.

    • These people are on the list because officials believe that they can commit or support terrorist acts.

    • Yet, those in that database wouldn’t know it. 

    • The government does not release who is in the database or why they are in the database listed. 

    • The problem that arises from this is the consideration that it may be a violation of essential liberties. The court is starting to agree with that. Just earlier this week, one federal judge ruled the method behind the discrete federal watch list for the database violated the constitution.

  • Military Judge set a date in 2021 to start the long-awaited war crimes trial of the five men on charges of planning and aiding in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The five men have been held at Guantanamo Bay Prison since 2006 (after years at the CIA detention facilities).

    • the war crimes include hijacking, terrorism, and almost 3,000 counts of murder. 

    • If convicted at the military commission, they can get the death penalty. This penalty combines military and elements of civilian law. 

  • Research studies have found firefighters and policemen involved in the 9/11 scene to be more prone to complications that can lead to death.

Besides the listed facts above, let’s remember all who have served and are still continuing to serve our country. Thank you to the people that took action on that tragic day. My heart goes out to the families still suffering their losses. Thank you, America, for being so strong.

Photo Credits: 

https://www.cfr.org/blog/seventeen-years-after-911-and-still-vulnerable-strategic-surprise

Information Credit:

https://newrepublic.com/article/154952/fbi-terrorism-database-watchlist-ruling-dystopian-aftermath-911

https://time.com/5665849/9-11-attacks-trial-date/

 

Julia Fitzgibbon

PS Behrend '22

Sophomore at Penn State Behrend Nutrition major with a biology minor Professional procrastinator with a coffee addiction Workout and dog enthusiast
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Lauren Barr

PS Behrend '21

Hey everyone! I'm Lauren, and I am a Campus Correspondent and the Vice President of Her Campus PS Behrend. I am a Junior Finance major with an Applied Economics minor, currently studying towards receiving my Certificate in Financial Planning. When I'm not busy calculating stock prices and all other things Finance, I enjoy writing and posting articles that interest me through Her Campus. When I have time off from school, I love to travel and explore new places. I also am a sucker for any and all dogs, but especially my own, Harley and Cooper! Thanks for visiting my page and I hope you enjoy my articles.