I have often heard about how in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks there was this unprecedented feeling and vibe of everyone being united in the face of adversity, like a sense of social unity certainly in the USA that has never been seen before nor since and I do get where people are coming from but how long would you say it lasted? And how would you describe it better than I could, no doubt?
What do you remember of the zeitgeist for the following year or so?

I am from the UK but have always followed American life very closely and whilst growing up regularly visited the USA with family on an almost annual basis (usually the Southwest) until 2002 and had so many great times I almost felt American!

That was in October and November of 2002 and although I did not give it any thought at the time, I seem to think that socially people were still the same easy going America I had always loved and that had always been good to me just as much as before (incidentally the previous trip we went on was in August 2001).

Yet the following year I definitely think the Iraq War decision of March 2003 was THE moment that completely severed this unity feeling remembering how that bitterly divided so many people. Incidentally on a poignant note Fall 2002 was the very last time I visited the US with family. Me graduating the following year was one big life change to the old routines but also I seem to recall the more stringent and strict sides of the PATRIOT Act started to really get going by the start of 2003 and travel required more bureaucracy.

Am I correct in my assumptions?

You're correct. It was March 2003 when the Iraq War first started when we became divided again. The ones who were against the Iraq War believed we should have kept our focus on Afghanistan/Osama Bin Laden. Meanwhile the ones who were pro-Iraq War labeled the ones who are against as anti-American and even the "T-word".

You're correct. It was March 2003 when the Iraq War first started when we became divided again. The ones who were against the Iraq War believed we should have kept our focus on Afghanistan/Osama Bin Laden. Meanwhile the ones who were pro-Iraq War labeled the ones who are against as anti-American and even the "T-word".


I think it was Bush who said, "Either you are with us or you're a terrorist" or something to that effect.

The Iraq war was based on lies. Bush hoodwinked Congress giving him the authority of going to war (under the Constitution, it is Congress who has the authority to declare war). And a few of the ones who voted for it in the Senate were Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, & Chuck Schumer.


Cat

Weren't there a lot of Republicans against the war too?

At the latest by the 2008 economic crash we truly were divided.

Interestingly it is not just a politics aspect I was focusing on, far from it. Rather a general "zeitgeist" of the period for the average person.

I think in this period most trends and entertainment were still Y2K or early 2000s and I recall it still being that exciting early Internet period (dial-up, Geocities etc) plus also the early days of email and text messaging and instant messaging.

Coincidentally 2003 felt like a big change year in so many ways away from that Y2K and early 2000s "excitement".

Also in relation to the points raised in this thread in 2003 at the time it did not seem like the USA was the best place to be which was why, sadly, we gave it a pass and ended our travel routine that brought us so many good times. It felt like everyone had a very strong opinion on the issue of the year and you had to be careful who you were talking to. I bet a lot of friends and families fell out and never patched up.

To go back to the original point I was raising I really meant to ask what was the period from after 9/11 until early 2003 like? Did it feel united? And if so, how? In what ways? Also what particular technology or entertainment trends stood out that encapsulated this period as well?

I have often heard about how in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks there was this unprecedented feeling and vibe of everyone being united in the face of adversity, like a sense of social unity certainly in the USA that has never been seen before nor since and I do get where people are coming from but how long would you say it lasted? And how would you describe it better than I could, no doubt?
What do you remember of the zeitgeist for the following year or so?



This is not entirely correct. Indeed there was a unity, a coming together, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. But that sort of "unity" was not unprecedented by any stretch of the imagination. World War II for example. I wasn't born, mind you, but there was a great sense of unity, of patriotic duty, of "everybody doing their part". "Rosie the Riveter" type everyday women went to work in factories, often doing jobs previously thought "for men only", while the men went overseas to fight.  In fact a general patriotism lasted until the 1960s when the bitter divisiveness of the Vietnam War, and later Watergate in the 70s (to name just two big ones) eroded it. It seemed like a natural course of events. The upheavals of the 1960s wiped away much of what had gone before, and it seemed like a needed change.

As for how long the post 9/11 unity lasted, I would say about a year, if that. In the immediate aftermath there were vigils, people wore all kinds of ribbons on their lapels (I've lost track of all those colors for all those ribbons), there were TV telethons from "undisclosed locations" featuring rock music stars and superstars of stage and screen, there was a "Concert for America". 



Yet the following year I definitely think the Iraq War decision of March 2003 was THE moment that completely severed this unity feeling remembering how that bitterly divided so many people. Incidentally on a poignant note Fall 2002 was the very last time I visited the US with family. Me graduating the following year was one big life change to the old routines but also I seem to recall the more stringent and strict sides of the PATRIOT Act started to really get going by the start of 2003 and travel required more bureaucracy.

Am I correct in my assumptions?


I'm not sure the Iraq War as quiet as devastatingly divisive as you are claiming, but then again, living through the aforementioned Vietnam War as I did, I can tell you THAT war was divisive with a capital "D"!!! Iraq had nothing on Vietnam in the decisiveness department! It tore the country apart. It turned family member against family member. Iraq didn't really do that. Though I do remember the silliness of some who tried to rename French fries "freedom fries" and French toast "freedom toast" because France did not support the Iraq War.

This is not entirely correct. Indeed there was a unity, a coming together, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. But that sort of "unity" was not unprecedented by any stretch of the imagination. World War II for example. I wasn't born, mind you, but there was a great sense of unity, of patriotic duty, of "everybody doing their part". "Rosie the Riveter" type everyday women went to work in factories, often doing jobs previously thought "for men only", while the men went overseas to fight.  In fact a general patriotism lasted until the 1960s when the bitter divisiveness of the Vietnam War, and later Watergate in the 70s (to name just two big ones) eroded it. It seemed like a natural course of events. The upheavals of the 1960s wiped away much of what had gone before, and it seemed like a needed change.

As for how long the post 9/11 unity lasted, I would say about a year, if that. In the immediate aftermath there were vigils, people wore all kinds of ribbons on their lapels (I've lost track of all those colors for all those ribbons), there were TV telethons from "undisclosed locations" featuring rock music stars and superstars of stage and screen, there was a "Concert for America". 

I'm not sure the Iraq War as quiet as devastatingly divisive as you are claiming, but then again, living through the aforementioned Vietnam War as I did, I can tell you THAT war was divisive with a capital "D"!!! Iraq had nothing on Vietnam in the decisiveness department! It tore the country apart. It turned family member against family member. Iraq didn't really do that. Though I do remember the silliness of some who tried to rename French fries "freedom fries" and French toast "freedom toast" because France did not support the Iraq War.


I had a friend who was the one who called me to tell me when it was happening. She came over and we (along with Carlos' youngest who was staying with us at the time) sat glued to the t.v. all day. The next day, she went out and bought some red, white, & blue ribbon. I made a bow out of them and wore it for a few weeks and then I wore it on the anniversary. I also put some on a pillar on our porch. I just took it down when we moved about 8 years ago. We also put up a small flag in the front window.

I don't recall how many days after, my little town had a bit of a vigil. People would light candles and went outside. We did and I saw my neighbors up the street (there was no down because we were at the end) standing on the sidewalk with candles. Of course when we stood there, we didn't know what to do. How long were we supposed to stand there? Finally when people started to go inside, I put the (still burning candle) down on the porch and went inside. The candle was a thick pillar one-not like a dinner candle.


Cat

To go back to the original point I was raising I really meant to ask what was the period from after 9/11 until early 2003 like? Did it feel united? And if so, how? In what ways? Also what particular technology or entertainment trends stood out that encapsulated this period as well?

Teen pop was dead by mid-2002. Nsync had some R&B hits like 'Girlfriend' in early 2002. Even some pop princesses went edgy like "I'm A Slave 4 U" from some blonde pop singer. Christina Aguilera went 'Dirrty' with her Stripped album in late 2002. The Backstreet Boy's Greatest Hits album was a disappointment in mid-2001. Could be burnout but it could also be people were sick of teen pop. People say that by late 2001 teen pop was pretty much 95%+ done. And by mid-2002 was completely dead.

80's nostalgia truly hit warped speed in late 2002/early 2003 because of VH1's I love the 80's.

Nickelback and Creed sounding bands were still hot. Poor Marilyn Manson was still suffering the shock of being blamed for Columbine among other stuff in the early 00's.

Economy: A recession was here in 2001. Shockingly though there was an economic surplus in 2001 because of leftovers from the Dot Com boom of the 1990's and economic boom.

Politics: Political extremists and far Right people like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh were huge during this period. Ann Coulter's peak was her 2003 hit book Treason. There was a backlash against Democrats/Liberals because of the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal. Perhaps the early 00's recession had partly to do with it too. Which was why George Bush was elected (not by the masses of course). I also remember the 2003 protests and March on Washington DC in March of 2003 against the war.

The Simpsons was still very hot ratings wise at least. I'd say all this lasted all the way until 2004 or so.

Internet: Blogs and internet forums were hot during this era. I'd say 1998 to 2008 was the peak for blogs and forums. Social media overtook their popularity in the late 00's.

I don't recall how many days after, my little town had a bit of a vigil. People would light candles and went outside. We did and I saw my neighbors up the street (there was no down because we were at the end) standing on the sidewalk with candles. Of course when we stood there, we didn't know what to do. How long were we supposed to stand there? Finally when people started to go inside, I put the (still burning candle) down on the porch and went inside. The candle was a thick pillar one-not like a dinner candle.


They did that in my neighborhood too. I believe it was a nationwide thing. September 11 was a Tuesday and the candlelight vigil was on the Friday. People in my neighborhood stood outside with candles, but, as you say, the whole thing was very loosely arranged and some seemed ill at ease with this and soon some were just talking and gossiping. I felt that people should have been a bit more reflective. Still, the fact that people all over came out of their houses for a common cause does show the unity that existed, however briefly.

This is not entirely correct. Indeed there was a unity, a coming together, in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. But that sort of "unity" was not unprecedented by any stretch of the imagination. World War II for example. I wasn't born, mind you, but there was a great sense of unity, of patriotic duty, of "everybody doing their part". "Rosie the Riveter" type everyday women went to work in factories, often doing jobs previously thought "for men only", while the men went overseas to fight.  In fact a general patriotism lasted until the 1960s when the bitter divisiveness of the Vietnam War, and later Watergate in the 70s (to name just two big ones) eroded it. It seemed like a natural course of events. The upheavals of the 1960s wiped away much of what had gone before, and it seemed like a needed change.

As for how long the post 9/11 unity lasted, I would say about a year, if that. In the immediate aftermath there were vigils, people wore all kinds of ribbons on their lapels (I've lost track of all those colors for all those ribbons), there were TV telethons from "undisclosed locations" featuring rock music stars and superstars of stage and screen, there was a "Concert for America". 

I'm not sure the Iraq War as quiet as devastatingly divisive as you are claiming, but then again, living through the aforementioned Vietnam War as I did, I can tell you THAT war was divisive with a capital "D"!!! Iraq had nothing on Vietnam in the decisiveness department! It tore the country apart. It turned family member against family member. Iraq didn't really do that. Though I do remember the silliness of some who tried to rename French fries "freedom fries" and French toast "freedom toast" because France did not support the Iraq War.


It was a time of lost innocence.

Though I do remember the silliness of some who tried to rename French fries "freedom fries" and French toast "freedom toast" because France did not support the Iraq War.


Yes the cringe of Freedom Fries, the most 2003 trend ever.  ::)

That was another penny dropping moment for me that said that year "I don't think America is the best place to be right now". Very sad, I know but these phases happen.

It was a time of lost innocence.


People do say that, but by 2001 wasn't innocence already lost in America? In my lifetime it was said America "lost it's innocence" when JFK was killed. Then again when RFK and MLK were killed. Then again about the Vietnam War in general. Then about Watergate. Then everybody lost their innocence and their "youth"  when John Lennon was killed. Exactly how many times does this "innocence" get lost? Once it's lost, does it come back to be lost again? Or maybe people should just stop using that cliche. 

People do say that, but by 2001 wasn't innocence already lost in America? In my lifetime it was said America "lost it's innocence" when JFK was killed. Then again when RFK and MLK were killed. Then again about the Vietnam War in general. Then about Watergate. Then everybody lost their innocence and their "youth"  when John Lennon was killed. Exactly how many times does this "innocence" get lost? Once it's lost, does it come back to be lost again? Or maybe people should just stop using that cliche.


I was talking about the 1960's not 9/11. The 1960's was a time of loss innocence. Post Modernism started then and we've never gone back.  :o

Yes the cringe of Freedom Fries, the most 2003 trend ever.  ::)

That was another penny dropping moment for me that said that year "I don't think America is the best place to be right now". Very sad, I know but these phases happen.


Lol, freedom fries. I remember when that was as they used to say in 2003, the totally gnarly/radical/tubular thing to call it  ;D

Lol, freedom fries. I remember when that was as they used to say in 2003, the totally gnarly/radical/tubular thing to call it  ;D


"Gnarly", "tubular", etc were still going on in 2003? I thought that was more of an 80s phenomenon. The "valley girl" speak, popularized by Frank Zappa's song from 1982. Gag me with a spoon!  ;D

Lol, freedom fries. I remember when that was as they used to say in 2003, the totally gnarly/radical/tubular thing to call it  ;D

Was it because of the word "French"?  ???

"Gnarly", "tubular", etc were still going on in 2003? I thought that was more of an 80s phenomenon. The "valley girl" speak, popularized by Frank Zappa's song from 1982. Gag me with a spoon!  ;D


I was exaggerating the 80's nostalgia/revival in 2003. It was only I who was using those words (still do today).


Was it because of the word "French"?  ???


Especially because I was in the military at the time, people were expressing their anger and even hatred towards the French. I also had a coworker who refused to listen to any artist who was against the war. Basically she could only listen to country (but not Dixie Chicks).

I was exaggerating the 80's nostalgia/revival in 2003. It was only I who was using those words (still do today).

Especially because I was in the military at the time, people were expressing their anger and even hatred towards the French. I also had a coworker who refused to listen to any artist who was against the war. Basically she could only listen to country (but not Dixie Chicks).


What branch? I was in the USAF.

I was glad that I was no longer in then. I got out just before Dessert Storm.


Cat

I was exaggerating the 80's nostalgia/revival in 2003. It was only I who was using those words (still do today).

Especially because I was in the military at the time, people were expressing their anger and even hatred towards the French. I also had a coworker who refused to listen to any artist who was against the war. Basically she could only listen to country (but not Dixie Chicks).


Isn't it funny how a lot of the "oppression" or "policing" of language, opinions, thought, etc is coming from the other side now. It may have been "right wing rednecks" or something like that that opposed the Dixie Chicks back in 2001 when they spoke out against George Bush, but now it's the "woke" brigade that censors them and they had to change their name to "The Chicks", because woke people don't like the word "Dixie" and it's connotations of the Confederate south. Those poor chicks. They're on the wrong side of everything. ;D  Likewise, Lady Antebellum had to become "Lady A" for the same reason.

Isn't it funny how a lot of the "oppression" or "policing" of language, opinions, thought, etc is coming from the other side now. It may have been "right wing rednecks" or something like that that opposed the Dixie Chicks back in 2001 when they spoke out against George Bush, but now it's the "woke" brigade that censors them and they had to change their name to "The Chicks", because woke people don't like the word "Dixie" and it's connotations of the Confederate south. Those poor chicks. They're on the wrong side of everything. ;D  Likewise, Lady Antebellum had to become "Lady A" for the same reason.


You can also say that the word "chick" can be considered derogatory. But, I confess, I used the word "chick" a lot.


Cat

You can also say that the word "chick" can be considered derogatory. But, I confess, I used the word "chick" a lot.


Cat


Oh, it's definitely a no-no now. Forbidden. But when I was younger in the 60s and the 70s it was basically a term of endearment, and, as you point out, many women, including second wave feminists of the 60s and 70s, used it and referred to themselves and others as "chicks". But that's part of a funkier time that is gone. The uptight brigade have taken over.

You can also say that the word "chick" can be considered derogatory. But, I confess, I used the word "chick" a lot.


Cat


Everything is derogatory or offensive now!  ::)

"Gnarly", "tubular", etc were still going on in 2003? I thought that was more of an 80s phenomenon.


It predates the 80s.

"Gnarly" and "tubular" were used in the surfer culture slang of the 60s/70s.  Tubular refers to the shape of the perfect wave: like a tube.  Gnarly refers to dangerous or challenging surfing conditions.

It predates the 80s.

"Gnarly" and "tubular" were used in the surfer culture slang of the 60s/70s.  Tubular refers to the shape of the perfect wave: like a tube.  Gnarly refers to dangerous or challenging surfing conditions.


Correct. But only the surfing subculture used it back then. It went mainstream in the 80s. Likewise, jazz musician jargon of the 20s-30s like "hip", "cool", "cat" (to refer to a guy) etc went mainstream in the 1960s.

Weren't there a lot of Republicans against the war too?


No.  That's not how I remember it.  Republicans were almost unanimously in favor of it.



It seems my memory is accurate:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_2002

In the House, 215 voted in favor, 6 voted against (including Ron Paul, TX and Leach, IA), 2 abstained.

In the Senate, 48 voted yea, and 1 voted nay (Chafee, RI)