Tag Archive: war on terror

How America unraveled after September 11, 2001

The September 11, 2001 attacks affected and united many Americans

If you’ve forgotten how united Americans were on September 11, 2001, you would be forgiven. The U.S. today doesn’t look much like it did on and in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Our country is more divided than many of us can remember at any other time in our lives. Unfortunately, Donald Trump and many Republicans are purposely trying to tear us apart. How we respond to that effort will largely determine America’s future well-being.

Terrorist terminology: what to call our enemies

Syrian refugee family arriving in Greece -- not our enemy

Syrian refugee family arriving in Greece — not our enemy

In the wake of the recent Paris attacks, the long-running debate about what to call our terrorist enemies has been renewed. This language battle also has strong political overtones.

Those on the right seem to have no problem using broad terms, which can discredit the entire religion of Islam. Their current preferred terminology is “radical Islam.” For example, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio says “we are at war with radical Islam.” Likewise, fellow candidate Lindsey Graham says that “the whole world is a battlefield and radical Islam is everywhere.” Graham even said, after last January’s Charlie Hebdo attack in France, that “we’re in a religious war.”