The following is a guest post from Adrianne Redding. Adrianne is currently studying Political Science at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.
In June, while studying in northern Italy, I saw something that brought tears to my eyes. My group had traveled to Burano, a lagoon island near Venice that is famous for its lace. Walking through the narrow streets and over canal bridges, I saw a courtyard named “September 11, 2001”.
It was completely unexpected, to find an Italian memorial in such a small, out-of-the-way island, and it deeply touched me. I was grateful for the recognition and for the honor Burano had bestowed on the United States and Americans. That day of terrorism brought our nation to its knees. And then we stood up again, refusing to bow to fear or chaos.
As the tenth anniversary of September 11 fast approaches, the Pew Charitable Trust released a study last week about Americans’ views of foreign policy and the destruction of the World Trade Center. An editor of the New York Times wrote a lengthy article about Americans’ thoughts of 9/11. At the time of the attacks, a full third of Americans believed that it was American policies that had caused Al Qaeda to respond with violence. Now, 43 percent believe that American wrongdoing motivated the attacks.
Al Qaeda is an international terror organization. It is Muslim extremism. It thrives on fear and guilt.
Yes, bin Laden and other leaders attacked the United States because they were displeased with the United States, but that is radically different from “American wrongdoing” motivating their actions.
Before Americans feel guilt about whatever the United States may have done to provoke terrorist attacks such as what we experienced, we need to remember these were terrorist attacks made by a radical and extreme religious group dedicated to destroying any system or people they find fault with, be it Americans, Afghans, Pakistanis, or others.
There is no reason to feel guilt or regret over any American policy made that might have provoked attacks. Terrorism needs no reason to attack.
The memorial I saw in Italy was a good reminder: We should feel no shame in being American. We were dealt a heavy blow 10 years ago, and we survived, only to become stronger and more resilient. The people of Burano recognized it, and we should, too. That is something to honor.
