What "changed" after 9/11?

[Geoff R. Casavant]

For years now, I have been hearing the right saying "everything changed after 9/11" but for the life of me I can't think of any external factor they can point to that has changed in any measurable respect.

The oft-quoted line is "we thought oceans could protect us, and we learned they could not." Considering the war for our own independence was fought on our soil against soldiers who arrived by boat, this has never been true. There is also that pesky matter of the British invasion of 1812, the Japanese attacks of 1941, and the "duck and cover" scares of the 50s and 60s, when everyone was expecting death by ICBM.

In short, oceans have never protected us, so that can't be what changed.

So what changed? What are other RW talking points about what actually changed, and was there really a change at all? Please feel free to post your thoughts

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. what changed...

Arrogant Americans were shocked to realize that our actions have consequences, and sometimes, victims fight back.

[serryjw]

5. Is that line copyrighted?

May I use it?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. lol! have at it...

I hadn't even finished my first cup of coffee when I read this, it was the first thing that popped into my head, it might not even be mine! :P

[serryjw]

8. Have a cup on me!

I'm on my 3rd load of laundry!

[BillZBubb]

2. What changed was the right wing got a "fear" issue.

That's how they always accumulate power. A majority of the public is willing to do almost anything for revenge and protection. The right exploits this to the hilt.

So, the fear of the terrorist boogie man allows idiots like Bush to run amok without any fear of consequences. Before 9/11 most of what Bush has done would be unthinkable to the public. That's what changed.

[BOSSHOG]

3. It made it easier

to manipulate the already easily manipulated. It easily rolls off the tongue of those who have no concept of constitutional liberty and who think hating minorities and gays is patriotic; and those people make up the vast majority of the republican party base. The gop should be so proud.

A passing glance at the incident and one can easily deduce that it certainly did not change everything; outside of NYC it changed very little.

[rkc3]

6. Do you think the irony of minority/gay-bashing patriots is lost on them?

And I don't want to get into a religious battle here, but having a base that turns their lives over to a higher power are ripe for manipulation - especially by individuals who claim they were selected by that higher power.

[Armstead]

4. It did change awareness of the consequences

In a politically neutral sense, 9-11 did show that terrorism could do severe and extensive damage here in the US. Before that, any damage was very specific and occurred "over there."

It's like a kid with a wasp. The kid sees it as annoying, but it's only after he's gotten stung does he develop a healthy fear of wasps.

But otehr than that, the basic equation is the same as it has been for awhile.

And, to use the wasp analogy, we let our fear get the better of us. It's like a kid who gets stung suddenly becoming afraid to ever go outside.

[Mnemosyne]

9. But they still do not understand that

"terrorism" directed at the US and US interests is the direct result of US foreign policy. Plain and simple.

Until the citizens put pressure on our government to change it's repressive and controlling foreign policies they will have to live in eternal fear. imo

V