Americas' obsession with revisiting disasters

[caravel]

The news media, especially the television news media, is virtually driven by sensationalist scare stories. They like nothing better than a good old "possible terrorist attack" or a devastating epidemic that could happen at any moment, if it just happens to mutate (which is pretty much what could happen to any virus). In the case of the all too familiar, imminent epidemic scare, the masses usually want to know "exactly what are the government going to do about it?". The government then goes out and stocks up on immunisation drugs. At this point the hysteria starts to die and the media have nothing left to go on, until the next foiled bomb plot or possible epidemic comes along.

In the case of 911, it also suits the administration's policy with regard to the middle east that the electorate don't forget that one too soon.