9/11 and the First Amendment: Twenty Years On
9/11 was a watershed moment in United States history and it impacted every facet of American life – including the First Amendment.
The USA Patriot Act, enacted in the wake of the attacks, aroused concerns over violations of civil liberties such as freedom of speech.
Muslim Americans were subjected to the sort of religious bigotry the First Amendment was enshrined to guard against.
9/11 triggered the wars which would enable people like Edward Snowden to become the controversial whistleblowers and freedom of the press advocates we know them as now.
The veterans that fought in these wars used their First Amendment freedoms back home to advocate for themselves and their comrades.
And recently, some members of the press have called 9/11 a catalyst for the militarization of local police forces in the US.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 this year, the First Amendment Museum has curated the following online content to explore the impact the attacks had on the First Amendment.
On September 11th, 2001, so many of us depended on television news as the attack and its aftermath unfolded.
Today, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we remember the victims of the atrocity, but we also want to honor those who kept us informed and made a lasting impact on our lives. Watch in our video below:
Today, we’re sharing three guest blog posts written by Muslim Americans about their reflections of September 11th.
Watch our Speaker Series presentation about the PATRIOT-Act, which was signed into law only several weeks after the events of September 11th.