Septermber 11th
On September 11, 2001, two airplanes flew into the World Trade Center and another into the Pentagon, while yet another suspiciously crashed. Blasted on T.V. screens across America, were images of fire, destruction, chaos and death. Framed in colors of red, white and blue, were such headlines that read: ³America Under-Attack,² ³The War Against Terror² and ³The Attack on America²; all the while, urgent ticket taped messages flowed across our television screens and news anchors reported on the utmost of news. To sum-up the days events, President Bush addressed the nation. It was in the Presidentıs initial speech to the nation following the attack on the World Trade Center that the adjective ³evil² was first introduced. Quoting from the bible, and making reference to a ³power greater than any of us,² the President reassured the American people of their safety and well-being. Within a couple of minutes, the stage was set for all that was to follow. Since adopted by the media, the Bush administration and the American people, the religious reference of ³evil² by the President has become an integral part of the public discourse. Framing the way we talk and think about the dayıs events, and all subsequent events, including talk of Bin Laden, the Taliban and terrorism, the use of binary language in religious and metaphoric expression have become an important element in the ³war against terrorism.² And despite the Presidentıs and congressı denouncement of any reference to ³the attack on terrorism² as a holy war, it seems as if the American ideal of ³separation of state and religion,² has become suspended and/or forgotten all together.