I find it very fitting that Samuel P. Huntington chose to begin his book on American national identity by discussing 9/11. This date holds such significance in the eyes of almost all Americans today, which I believe allows it to be key factor when thinking of American national identity. However, like all other turning points in American history, the way people feel about this horrible tragedy differs between those who experienced it and those who learn about it in history class. For example, I was only one year old when it happened so I don’t feel the same emotions as my older relatives who all have their stories of where they were when the first tower fell, or how they commuted home with strangers from the city when the trains weren’t running.
When breaking it down, it is hard to determine what one country’s national identity really is because no matter what there will be varying views on what it truly is. Like with the 9/11 example, it is a historical event to some, while a tragic memory of losing a loved one to others. There are other points in American history that have been deemed as defining our national identity, but they don’t all hold as true today. Farther down the line, I’m sure there will be other events that people will define as shaping our national identity. So, is national identity a fluid matter that changes after key events?