The fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks presents a sobering cultural moment for Americans, who have mixed feelings of remembrance and resolve, according to a cross section of public opinion.
But one thing’s for sure: Nearly everyone remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing the moment they learned the nation was under attack. Ninety-five percent of Americans said that moment is burned into their memories, according to a Pew Research Center poll.
Nearly half the respondents said the attacks were as serious as the Pearl Harbor bombing, compared with 25 percent in 2001. Yet many Americans seem to have come to terms with the threat: The majority — 55 percent — do not worry about becoming a victim of terrorism. Although 51 percent said the September 11 attacks changed America in a major way, only 22 percent said it had substantially altered their personal lives.
However, there was a little partisan divide. The survey found that 18 percent of Republicans said their lives had changed in a major way, compared with 28 percent of Democrats. The poll of 1,506 adults was conducted Aug. 9 to 13 and released Thursday.
A Fox News survey reveals a watchful but realistic nation. Although 53 percent said the attacks are as important today as they were in 2001, almost two-thirds do not think September 11 signaled the start of World War III. Eight out of 10 said air travel is safe, and more than half said airport security and the overall U.S. response to terrorism was “about right.” Almost two-thirds did not worry that their neighborhood would be attacked.
Yet, few have let their guard completely down: Fifty-four percent said members of the al Qaeda terrorist group “likely” live in their local area, and 77 percent said security at the country’s borders is not strict enough. Just 10 percent agreed with an “open border” concept.
How did the political parties fare? Overall, 37 percent said Republicans did the best job protecting the country, 33 percent trusted Democrats, and 10 percent trusted both sides. Twelve percent trusted neither, and 8 percent didn’t know whom to trust. The poll of 900 registered voters was conducted Aug. 29 and 30.
Politics has swayed perceptions about September 11, according to a Zogby poll released Friday. For example, 46 percent of the respondents think there was a connection between Saddam Hussein and the September 11 attacks. Among Republicans, the number was 65 percent; among Democrats, it was 32 percent.
Thirty-six percent agreed that the war in Iraq was worth the loss of American lives. But among Republicans, the figure was 58 percent, compared with 20 percent of Democrats.
A range of 49 percent to 66 percent of Republicans approved of mail, car or handbag searches, phone taps or roadblocks if it meant increased protection from terror threats. Among Democrats, support ranged from 26 percent to 45 percent. About 80 percent of both, however, approved of public video surveillance. The poll of 1,014 likely voters was conducted Sept. 3 and 4.
All three polls have a margin of error of three percentage points.
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