9/11 and the Death of Bin Laden- WWE and Patriotism

On September 13th 2001, the World Wrestling Federation held its weekly Smackdown show, and in doing so became the largest public assembly of its kind since the tragedy of 9/11. This video depicts the opening segment of this show. It begins with WWF owner and chairman Vince McMahon addressing the crowd in Houston, Texas, stating that America would not be afraid and by going ahead with the show they are sending a clear message to terrorists that they would not live their lives in fear. His patriotic speech prompts huge cheers from the live crowd, along with a customary 'U-S-A' chant.

This is followed by the singing of the National Anthem to which the entire roster of wrestlers come out on to the stage, characters temporarily broken and storyline affiliations and feuds put to one side in order to pay their respects.

As one of the most popular sports and brands in the US, the WWF, or WWE as it is now known, attracts millions upon millions of viewers around the world and this particular bradcast was indicative of the defiance and patriotism prevalent in the US post-9/11. The broadcast gave a sense of normality to its fans that there had no doubt been a lack of in the couple of days prior.

In addition to the content of the video, I found it intersting that the video itself had its comments disabled, the uploader saying they "have decided to disable comments due to the constant anti-USA comments that keep coming up." Perhaps the patriotic nature of the video incited derision from non-Americans as a result of the international fanbase of the WWE or more likely it is a reflection of the bad feeling towards America throughout much of the world.



This video is one that shows another defining moment in American history through the bizarre viewpoint of professional wrestling. Just after the pay-per-view event Extreme Rules had gone off the air, wrestler John Cena, having just won the WWE Championship, announced the death of Osama bin Laden to the live crowd in Tampa, Florida. Much like the post-9/11 Smackdown, cheers and 'U-S-A' chants echoed across the arena but the mood of defiance and sadness was replaced by one of elation and joy. It is also worth noting that Cena's character is the embodiment of the archetypal 'All American hero' and contantly states his support for the US military. He is also the face of the company so it is very apt that on the night he recaptured the championship, he also made the announcement of one of the most significant moments in modern history to that crowd.

For many, the events of 9/11 and what followed have now gone full circle after the death of bin Laden and it is interesting to see how this has been mirrored in the bizarre world of the WWE.