After Seven Years

I can't believe it's been seven years since the terrorist attacks on this country. The Sept 11th attacks feels like it was only yesterday since I woke up and turned on the TV and realized that nothing would ever be the same. We watched almost 3,000 people die right before our eyes as The Twin Towers collapsed into a mushroom cloud that was visible from space. Finding out later that the Pentagon had been hit and that a plane crashed in western Pennsylvania was just another blow to a nation badly hurt by a group of fanatics. I woke up and believed that I had left a movie playing in my VCR (going way back!) Before the attacks, there was a lot of wondering just how our new and untested president would respond. It was the first time that the American mainland had been attacked by a threat from outside since the British burned down the White House in 1814. I have called twice for George W. Bush's impeachment from office but I will state here that I put my own doubts aside about him and believed that he would do the right thing and find the group responsible for this madness. The country, the entire world rallied around the United States in sympathy. Now, seven years later, our nation is mired in two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Taliban has reconstituted and gained some strength in Afghanistan and our international relationships have been badly damaged by our actions since that day. We've become more afraid, more willing to abuse the principles that this nation has always stood for in exchange for security. My question is: Just how far are we willing to go for our security? Prisoner abuse, abiding torture directly or indirectly, an executive branch of government that says no matter how much power we have, we need more to protect America. Questioning other Americans' patriotism because we disagree with them? I thought the fundamental reason America was founded was so that people could disagree with each other and not be afraid to express opinions that may not be popular. That a citizenry could disagree with each other and still find a way to work together to take care of any problem that comes our way. I don't recognize what this country has become. I think Edward R. Murrow said it best:

"We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine and remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were, for the moment unpopular. We can deny our history and our heritage but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of the Republic to abdicate his responsibility."

Words that have a special significance, today of all days. Take a moment and remember those who are no longer with us and say a prayer for them, their families and for all of us.