On September 11, 2001, the United States woke up to a problem that had been brewing under the surface for a long time. There are people in the world that hate us. These weren’t the same Europeans that express dislike for our purported “ignorance” and insular attitudes. This was a group that hated us enough to hurt us. In a desperate attempt to understand what happened–why it happened–we were told that we were hated for our freedoms. It was a quick and easy answer, and in our mourning, we were able to accept that explanation at face value. Now that we as a nation have awoken from the shock and pain that affected us all, this explanation seems to be a bit too simple to accept. And of course, it isn’t the answer.

 

Most unfortunately, our solutions to the realization of the terrorism crisis are also causing problems that will take a generation or more to correct. First and foremost, one of the things that makes this country great is immigration. Although there are some who would like to close our borders and deport all immigrants in order to correct the problems we are faced with, this is simply not a feasible solution. Instead, we have placed stringent restrictions on all immigration, particularly from Muslim nations. This panicked remedy, in the face of an attack that was developed by international students, seemed to be a viable solution but instead has proved to be a nightmare. The restructuring of government agencies that handle immigration issues was also to be a part of the solution, but many departments are severely under funded and unable to meet the demands of the new immigration restrictions. As a result, immigration is “backed up,” and there is no foreseeable resolution to the bottleneck that has resulted from economic and staffing issues.1

 

In the meantime, international students and political refugees are being advised to go elsewhere. Canada is now accepting a record number of immigrants while our numbers have declined severely.2 The ramifications of this loss are astounding, and one of the worst losses we will suffer is the loss of “publicity.” Every student that studies in this country on a student visa, every refugee, every single immigrant has a voice in another part of the world. The terrorists who planned the 9/11 attacks did not hate for our freedom and values. They hated us for our interference and actions in other nations. While there are diplomatic plans in the works that are just beginning to unfold, we also need to win the “hearts and minds” of future generations. Every immigrant to this nation, whether temporary or permanent, has the ability to help shape our future. And we are turning them away from our shores.

 

Nevertheless, criticism is easy for the people reading the news and volleying suggestions in debate forums. Terrorists entered our country legally and attacked us from the inside. We have succeeded in pushing them to illegal ports of entry, but I have no doubt that if we loosened the immigration restrictions again they would simply slip through the cracks in our legal system. The problem is multi-faceted and there are no easy answers. I firmly believe that the only intention in going to war in Iraq was to prove that our “bite” is just as “bad as our bark,” and I hold this opinion whether or not Weapons of Mass Destruction exist or not. Many others believe just as strongly that we were legitimately seeking out WMD’s, protecting human rights, and weeding out terrorism. Whether my opinion or the varying opinions of others on the war is correct, very few would dispute that the war was an early attempt to answer the question that 9/11 placed before us.

 

Despite the goals and intentions of the war, I don’t think that our efforts in Iraq will soon produce a Baghdad Disney World; more likely than not, it simply incited more anger and fanned the flames of anti-Americanism. At the same time, we are now pulling our troops out of Saudi Arabia–this addresses a huge point of contention for many Muslims–and developing a peace plan for Israel and Palestine. These are all long-term solutions, but they must be balanced on our own shores. Our immigration policies and The PATRIOT Act must be re-visited, and no matter what the formula is for the shorter-term solutions to domestic threats, we must be prepared to fund these programs adequately, regardless of the sacrifices that we–every citizen–may have to make in doing so. Our future depends on it.