Commentary: The real target of 9/11‑style terrorism is American values

On quiet mornings in Grand Forks, you still notice the flags along University Avenue and outside City Hall, reminders of a day that reshaped how we think about safety and freedom. Two decades on, the question for communities like ours is the same as it was then: how do we stay secure without letting fear rewrite who we are?

The immediate impact: physical harm and shaken confidence

Terrorism works on two fronts at once: it seeks to inflict casualties and to rattle the public’s sense of safety. Scholars such as Dame Louise Richardson have argued that the point is not only destruction, but to coerce and divide by amplifying fear and prompting overreaction, an analysis she develops in her 2006 book "What Terrorists Want" (see Foreign Affairs).

The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania as four hijacked commercial airliners were turned into weapons, according to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop that morning, and U.S. airspace remained closed to most flights for days, as recorded in the agency’s official chronology (FAA).

Even far from the coasts, people here felt the shock in immediate, practical ways: jammed phone lines, emptied airports, and a new language of threat levels and checkpoints. Those first days made clear how quickly fear can seep into daily life—from UND classrooms to the concourses at the Ralph Engelstad Arena—and why managing that fear matters as much as managing risk.

The real target: testing American values

The argument many analysts make is that 9/11‑style terrorism tries to goad democracies into curbing their own liberties, thereby weakening the very values terrorists oppose. Richardson and others have framed it this way: when we accept permanent suspicion, sweeping surveillance, or blanket exclusions, we hand adversaries a symbolic win (see Foreign Affairs).

Policy shifts after 2001 reflected that tension. Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) on Sept. 18, 2001, a broad measure that successive administrations have cited for military actions well beyond Afghanistan (Congress.gov). Civil liberties groups, including the ACLU, have criticized expansive surveillance authorities under the USA PATRIOT Act, especially Section 215’s bulk collection of phone records, as overbroad intrusions into privacy (ACLU). Congress later reined in some of that bulk collection through the USA FREEDOM Act, though debates over scope and oversight continue (CRS).

Closer to home, these national debates shape everyday decisions—from how UND handles data security and public access at lectures, to how local agencies coordinate on threat reporting. The policy choices aren’t abstract; they touch campus life, travel through the Alerus Center, and the way public spaces along the Greenway feel and function.

The local perspective: service, identity, and community norms

Grand Forks lives at the intersection of service and scholarship. Service members at Grand Forks Air Force Base swear an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States," a reminder that the mission is about safeguarding a framework of rights, not a single leader or party (U.S. Air Force). That ethos echoes across our town—from military families to students in UND’s political science and law seminars who wrestle with how to balance liberty and security in policy and practice (see UND’s academic offerings here).

Public life here also runs on neighborly norms: people hold doors, ask questions respectfully at City Hall, and show up. When residents debate surveillance cameras in public parks or the best way to handle emergency alerts, they’re not just talking tech—they’re talking about the kind of town we want to be. City and county pages lay out how emergency planning and public input work locally; it’s worth a look if you haven’t checked recently (City of Grand Forks, Grand Forks County Emergency Management).

The future response: security that strengthens, not shrinks, our principles

So what can a community like Grand Forks do? First, keep the focus on practical risk reduction—strong emergency communication, well‑trained responders, and clear protocols—without normalizing suspicion of neighbors. That balances preparedness with trust and aligns with what terrorism experts advise: deny attackers the societal overreaction they seek (see the analysis summarized in Foreign Affairs).

Second, make transparency the default. Public briefings, open data on how tools are used, and clear complaint processes help residents understand what’s in place and why. That approach reduces rumor, sharpens accountability, and makes it easier to correct course when policies overshoot.

What readers can do: engage close to home

• Follow the calendar and show up. UND regularly lists public lectures and forums on law, policy, and national security—good places to hear from faculty and ask questions. Check the university’s events page before you go (UND Calendar).
• Stay in the loop with local agencies. Bookmark the City of Grand Forks homepage for meeting notices and public comment opportunities, and review county preparedness resources to understand your role in alerts and drills (City of Grand Forks, Grand Forks County Emergency Management).
• Connect with the base when it’s public‑facing. Grand Forks Air Force Base Public Affairs posts community information and, at times, details on events open to the public—check ahead for access and ID requirements (GFAFB Public Affairs).
• Keep perspective with primary resources. If you’re revisiting the history or the policy arc, the 9/11 Commission materials and DHS’s National Terrorism Advisory System explain baseline facts and how alerts work today (9/11 Commission, DHS NTAS).
• Learn the civil liberties side. Read up on surveillance authorities and reforms from nonpartisan and advocacy perspectives to sharpen your own view before local debates heat up (ACLU, CRS).

What to Watch

• Each September, public institutions mark Patriot Day; look for local notices from UND, the City of Grand Forks, and Grand Forks Air Force Base on observances and public events. As fall lecture series are posted, expect campus conversations on security, speech, and technology—good chances to ask informed questions.
• Nationally, watch for any changes to surveillance authorities in Congress and how federal alerts are communicated locally through city and county channels. Staying current helps our community respond in ways that are both safe and true to our values.