Asma Khalid: Fear-Based Decisions on 9/11 20 Yrs. Ago ‘Paved the Way for the Very Deep Divisions and Disunity We See Today’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

KHALID: “> I think there was such a theme of unity yesterday. As I was listening to it, it felt very much like there was this nostalgia for an era that did not exist in the way that we remember it fully. While there were certainly a vast chunk of the population was united, I think it’s important to remember that there were clear moments of division shortly after 9/11, as well. We saw hate crimes against muslims within the United States and secondly I think there were some decisions that resulted from that moment of unity and I think very clearly of, you know, legislation that was passed, the patriot act that curtailed civil rights and civil liberties here as many Americans. I think something like the decision to go to war in Afghanistan which every member of congress but one, congresswoman Barbara Lee voted for. Some of these decisions ultimately you could argue paved the way for the very deep divisions and disunity that I think we see today. You know, I think that unity allowed us collectively to make decisions based to some degree on fear that you could argue may not have been perhaps the most politically estute and politically calculating decisions to have made.”