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The 9/11 terrorist attacks that devastated the United States in 2001 have had profound political, economic and social effects that still reverberate to this very day. However, most people don’t focus on the consequences that the attacks had on the social fabric of America, even though they were incredibly impactful.

US Muslims and people of color turned to Twitter to tell the stories of how their lives were changed by the 9/11 attacks. Using the #AfterSeptember11 and #After911 hashtags, they revealed the intense persecution they and their family members faced because of their religious beliefs, how they looked, and how they dressed. The following is a list of the most poignant stories. Upvote the ones you felt touched you the most, and leave a comment with your thoughts about 9/11 and its effects on the US and the world below. After you’re done reading, have a look at Bored Panda’s post about the incredibly heroic search and rescue dogs who are remembered for doing their duty at Ground Zero 18 years on.

#2

After-September-11-Heartbreaking-Muslim-Discrimination-Stories

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Kaisu
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People should always stand up for each other, and especially marginalised people should stick together instead of participating in on the discrimination

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Lucinda Overhoussen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My heart breaks for much a needless and senseless loss. I'm so sorry you had to grow up without your mum.

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Verbal and physical abuse against Muslims was rife in the weeks, months and even years following the terrorist attacks. From bullying in schools to taunts in public, both Muslims and people of color were ‘presumed to be guilty’ for what happened. The people who thought themselves to be just as American as anyone else found themselves outcasts in a society that didn’t know how to deal with their grief and anger.

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After-September-11-Heartbreaking-Muslim-Discrimination-Stories

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Shawn
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just like how if gun violence is perpetrated by a white it's a mass shooting while if the exact same act is committed by a black or Hispanic it's gang violence..

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That sounds horrific, children should never be punished like this

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Even though for some the memory of 9/11 fades, for others it is still as though the tragedy happened yesterday. And new information about what happened is still coming out even now. For example, according to CNN, the US Justice Department has recently stated that it will reveal the name of a person who is believed to have aided two of the 9/11 hijackers.

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Lucinda Overhoussen
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's very sad, the same happened during WWII with Adolf, the royal family changed its name to Windsor to be less German sounding and for a while German shepherds were called Shepard dogs. None of that should be important, but it matters to people.

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

White people think all brown Asians are Muslim, and that Muslim is a race but its not, and ignorance like that just breed more hate

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Americans in New York honored victims of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. During the ceremony, two moments of silence were held (one for each plane that hit the World Trade Center); names of all the nearly 3,000 people who died were also read. This year was the first time that all New York schools were legally required to hold a moment of silence.

#11

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so heartbreaking, that kind, empathetic people like this are punished just because of their religion

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#12

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Kathy Baylis
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sikhs are not Muslims. They’re Sikhs. But ignorant people, as always, tend to clump certain types of people together based on appearance. In their pea brains, wearing a turban automatically equates with being a terrorist, which is absolutely not true. Neither is the opinion that all Muslims are terrorists, which I know from experience is not true. Much of this false information is perpetuated by warmongering politicians and the mainstream media that reports on them. It needs to stop. We need to stop.

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Ruth Janssen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really sorry. But as a German I can tell you that we have been doing that for 70 years. And none of my relatives were involved in the genocide

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R L
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People are blinded when they are hurt, scared and angry. They don't see the good that was done. Very unfortunate, and sad- it can ruin lives.

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Maya Baggins
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm usually against violence, I'd have done the same if they badmouthed my dad

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Orillion
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, yes. The old "All muslims are evil, except the ones I know." It baffles me how ofter this happens.

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Pseudo Puppy
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Teachers never did anything".... horrendous cowards that they were. For the sake of all deities... she was a *kid*, and was deserving of protection.

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Lilly Petit
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, you should tell him that white man should be banned from world because a lot of them rapes, attack schools and kill childs, etc. This is so ridiculous.

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Sanne H.
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it makes you feel any better, a bit of the same happened with the girl's name "Isis" recently, at least it did in The Netherlands.

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Jane Alexander
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In jr high I was told I would go to hell when I die for not being catholic. That was in the 1950 s, I'm still not catholic. I'm going to hell.

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Whatever...
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my personal experience, I've found that more black people who I worked with were the most anti-Muslim / anti-Arab. I was shocked, considering what they've experienced in life.

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#23

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Bellalala
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dave G. Do you aware what Israel do to Palestinian from 1948 until now? Do you really need to compare the hebron with everything? What a jerk Jewish

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Kathy Baylis
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Teacher should’ve been reprimanded, at the very least, for that.

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#26

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Monika Soffronow
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Alex Harris, don't be so quick posting inane comments, they make you seem very, very young and very shallow. I am absolutely certain that you can participate in a much more constructive manner and I promise you that many of us here will welcome your more sincere comments. How would it make you feel if someone threw a brick at your own grandma? I'd be mad as hell.

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Lucinda Overhoussen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The fact that you'd deprive your child of a friend says everything about these "parents" before you look at all the other inherent wrongs

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#30

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Andrea Delden
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read about adult Muslims being beaten and even killed after 9/11 but I didn’t think how awful this must have been for the children. Here it is 18 years later and I’m just now learning of this. To all the children who suffered from 9/11, both from parents dying in the attack and those attacked afterwards, please accept my apologies for my ignorance.

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#31

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Bored Moogle
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How ironic the concentration camp reference didn't bring to mind when a so-called "Christian" ordered the deaths of 12 million people.

#33

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TheReader19
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What once was an asset (speaking a second language), now becomes a liability

#36

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#37

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Bellalala
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I started to think that they already hate Muslims from the beginning, but after September 11th, they got the chances to really show it.

#38

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Bellalala
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Surely he forgot how black people were treated back then.

#47

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#49

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Laana
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Feeling is awful. But I must say,it happened to me and I am visibly white,european girl and was pregnant at the time. Chose me from all of the other passengers and checked me again (luggage,metal check with hand sensor and hands swabbing). Bad feeling...

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Ava Ford
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is bad but it isn't the worst that could happen, and (I'm sorry for saying this) could have taken some pressure off your family by the other racists thinking you are patriotic (I'm so sorry if I offended anyone and if you think I'm wrong please reply)

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