Today is the anniversary of the attacks upon the United States by Muslim terrorists on September 11, 2001. Like Pearl Harbor, this was a watershed moment in our history; a moment that stopped the entire nation and brought us together if not but for a brief moment. Like so many others I watched the events unfold on television that morning. I woke up just in time to see the second plane crash into the World Trade Center tower. A chill overcame me and it does to this day every time I think of that moment. For the first time in my life I was overcome with fear for myself and my country. Throughout the day I watched as reports came in of the attacks on the Pentagon and the crash of flight 93 in that Pennsylvania field. It seemed to never end and the fear grew exponentially as each hour passed.
No one knew who was attacking us, or why it was happening. It wasn’t until later that day that the prime suspect was revealed. I remember seeing video of people celebrating in the Middle East, cheering as the towers fell. My fear quickly turned to anger. These people were celebrating their cowardly attack which resulted in the deaths of our citizens. They were celebrating the murder of innocents.
As more information came in and was reported, we took pride that our military was racing to action. Our President wept with us and comforted us, more importantly though, he acted. Historians and scholars will debate for generations if the response of our nation was the right course of action. In hindsight there is much that probably could have been done differently. Of course hindsight always can provide the best course; we however do not live in a perfect world.
In the years since the attacks our world has changed. To gain a small sense of security, so we can rest our heads at night and sleep peacefully, we have allowed many of our liberties and freedoms to be compromised. Now the word terrorist is tossed around to brand anyone or any organization that doesn’t fit the mold of the perfect citizen. We have forgotten, no we have covered up the true face of evil. Elements within our government and society have chosen to forget that this watershed moment was caused by a specific group of people. Instead of targeting that group we have chosen to target all of our citizenry in the desire to be fair and just.
Fair and just. Only in America can the notion of fair and just be used to describe how those that wantonly killed our citizens should be treated.
How fair and just were those Muslim terrorists that killed our brothers and sisters? How fair and just were those people that murdered the mothers and fathers of our children? We watched in horror as people chose to jump to their deaths from the World Trade Center rather than die burning in the flames of the fire. While we cried out in pain and anger do you think that those in the Middle East wondered if this was fair and just? Do you think that as they celebrated their attack in the streets on the other side of the world any of their people said ‘this is not fair and just’?
No. They celebrated as our towers fell. They celebrated as our planes crashed. And they celebrate now as they see how our freedoms are compromised because of their acts.
Our lives fundamentally changed on that day eleven years ago. Our country changed. Some will argue it is for the good, others will say it is for the worse. We have allowed many of our freedoms to be infringed because of the terrorists.
Now when we hear of a child being fondled at the airport by the TSA it goes in one ear and out the other. Now when we see a checkpoint on the road it is a mere nuisance rather than an outrage. Now when a report comes out that cameras will be installed on every corner, cameras that can identify each and every person and track their movements we say ‘okay’. Now when a government agency admits that they monitor every phone call, text, email, and any other electronic communication transmitted by each and every citizen we respond with ‘it’s just the government keeping us safe’.
All this is done in the name of keeping the terrorists at bay. We have given up rights and freedoms, handed over our liberties with a smile and thank you. All in the name of keeping us safe, all in the name of keeping the Homeland secure.
While we have killed many of the terrorists and their leaders the hydra still exists. Worse though is that while the threat of another attack has diminished in the past eleven years. The government has increased its presence in our lives. In this way the terrorists have accomplished something whether it was intended or not when they set out to destroy those towers on September 11, 2001. They accomplished something that no one person or group in the history of this country thought would be possible.
You see the very thing that our forefathers fought for over the last two-hundred plus years; the very liberties and freedom that our men and women fight for to this day; we simply smile and thank the government as they take it away from us bit by bit.
Today take time out of your busy schedule to think of those people who died on 9/11. Think of the families eternally torn asunder by those Muslim terrorists. Think of the men and women who died trying to rescue those in the World Trade Center towers. Think of the heroes of flight 93 that looked death in the eye and decided that they would not go down cowering like lambs to the slaughter. Think of all the men and women who have died since that time fighting a war on the other side of the planet.
They died as proud Americans. Whether through an act of terrorism or through the course of battle their deaths should be honored, and never forgotten. Do not dilute this memory by letting them be an excuse to take away the very liberties that Americans have fought for and cherished throughout history. When you do, then the terrorists have truly won.