The tragedy of September 11, though much more intense and terrible is much like this year’s Hurricane Sandy.  Workers throughout Chinatown could not get to work for the first two weeks and the subway lines were disrupted.  Shops had to close in both instances because they could not put out orders or finish ones that have already been started.  Because workers could not come in and orders could not be fulfilled, these shops were forced to foreclose and claim bankruptcy.  The Chinatown garment industry took many cut backs and was highly impacted by the monstrosities of 9/11.  Within the next two years the garment industry had closed at double the rate of the norm.

1. Will history repeat itself, and the effects of September 11^th happen again in the effects of Hurricane Sandy?

Due to September 11^th the economy throughout Chinatown diminished, tourism was on the decline because of a lack of way to get to Chinatown and the already weak garment industry was hit hard.  People who worked throughout Chinatown, especially the women, found it very hard to acquire jobs in non-English speaking environments, which would fit their schedules not within Chinatown.  The lack of education among this population was apparent when the Chinese had difficulties finding jobs not within Chinatown.  Many people did not speak English and this handicap made it difficult to find a steady job.  The fear of having an unsteady job also kept many women away from re-entering the sewing and garment industry in 2004, when factories were being started up again.

2. Will these effects also occur because of the effects of Hurricane Sandy?