The 9/11 attacks wounded the American sense of identity, security, and even reality. The meaning of that day to three generations of a lively Queens family is a window on the evolving understanding of what it is to be an American.  

How much freedom must we give up for national security? It’s an enduring post-9/11 ethical challenge for the West – but harsh measures that violate human rights are often checked by moral correctives.

The 9/11 attacks were, fundamentally, a shocking expression of clashing values. But, a generation later, under the radar of conflict, there is evidence of greater global understanding and common values.

For all of the tragedy of 9/11 and all the repercussions the world still grapples with, one place has become a symbol of unabashed kindness. And it’s a story that shouldn’t be forgotten as the world finds itself emerging from the pandemic. 

Becoming an adult in post-9/11 Western society wasn’t easy for young Muslims. In this podcast conversation, Monitor journalists Husna Haq and Shafi Musaddique discuss the cultural progress and setbacks that shaped their views of country and self.

The 9/11 attacks echo through much of American life. Our infographic highlights large and small effects: From national policy to personal policy, 9/11 has changed the way we do things.

Soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, many commentators noted a particular aspect of the 19 hijackers: None were women. That simplistic view of women as anti-terrorist has lessened over the past 20 years. Hundreds of women have since conducted suicide bombings or attempted them for extremist groups. Many more have recruited young fighters, especially for the Islamic State group. Yet just as compelling since 9/11 has been another trend: More women are leading efforts to defeat terrorism, often by giving early warnings of an attack or promoting counternarratives to violent jihadi ideology within families and communities.

In Morocco, for example, Muslim women have been trained as preachers to espouse moderate interpretations of religious teachings. In Kenya, a civil society group called Sisters Without Borders trains women-led organizations in helping governments prevent terrorist attacks. In Sudan, women led protests that ousted a terrorist-promoting dictator. Female protesters in Iran have demanded that leaders stop backing foreign terrorist groups.

“Because of their distinctive access and influence, women are crucial antiterrorism messengers in schools, religious institutions, social environments, and local government,” Jamille Bigio, a former fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and now a top USAID official, told Congress two years ago. Women are particularly sensitive to signs of radicalization, says Ms. Bigio, “because attacks on their rights and physical autonomy are often the first indication of a rise in fundamentalism.”

At the United Nations, meanwhile, the Security Council has passed resolutions encouraging nations to empower women in the prevention of violent extremism, especially as mediators and negotiators for peace. “After nearly two decades of ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism, the international community has learned that it must engage women as positive actors in their comprehensive strategies to tackle drivers of violent extremism and counter radicalization,” states a commentary by the United States Institute of Peace.

Twenty years on, one lesson from 9/11 is that women can and should be leaders for peace. The more they are empowered to save innocent lives, the more they will be recognized for saving innocent lives.

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