Chomsky V. Friedman
The events of September 11th, 2001 evoked many different reactions and sparked diverse conversations within the United States. One of the major topics to emerge from the rubble was "What did we do to deserve this?" Although, many people asked it earnestly wanting to know, and others asked rhetorically, implying that we did not do anything to deserve this. Even though both Thomas Friedman and Noam Chomsky ask the question, "What did we do to deserve this?" in response to September 11th, Friedman's reaction is defensive, vengeful, and anti-Muslim, while Chomsky's is introspective, constructive, and compassionate.
After September 11th, Thomas Friedman's writings were very defensive of the U.S.A. He firmly believes that the "terrorists" were envious of America's power and wealth. At one point he states, "[Middle Easterners] envy the sense of ownership that Americans have over their own government, they envy its naïve optimism, its celebration of individual freedom, and its abiding faith that the past won't always bury the future."
Chomsky at the World Social Forum (Porto Alegre) i...
Thomas Friedman, Miami Book Fair International, 19...
English: Photograph of Noam ChomskyHis writings imply that they feel inferior, as though their attacks were a way of taking out their frustration with not being able to succeed in the system imposed on them by the U.S. In his article, he gives no responsibility to the U.S. for what happened on September 11th. Friedman is of the opinion that America has done nothing wrong.
Since America has been so unfairly attacked, Friedman makes it clear that revenge must be taken. The guilty must be punished for their crimes. He insists that the destruction of the World Trade Center was the Pearl Harbor of World War III, and that America needs to realize this. Friedman talks at length about how the terrorists will be tracked down, what the best way is, how the U.S. can be most successful...