We all know what today is. For some Americans it’s going to be a day of reverence and reflection. For others it’s going to be a day of rage. For a handful of ignorant bigots it’s going to be a day of burning the holy texts of people of a different faith based solely on the acts of a terrorist organization who just happened to consider themselves part of that same faith.
Despite the battle cry of “…or the terrorists win” that we’ve heard used in both sincere and ironic manners over the last nine years, America has allowed itself to be so fundamentally changed by the acts of a few men and some hijacked planes, by the loss of lives. The US has cast off a number of the freedoms that people take for granted. The Bush administration enacted illegal telephone wires and unconstitutional arresting of people without cause, without their usual rights, simply because they might possibly have done something involved in some loose manner with terrorism. America has invaded foreign countries and killed countless civilians in the search for the leader of the terrorist organization responsible for the events of that day.
America has let terrorism win because it has let that unfortunate day impact its thought process, its decision-making process, from the guy in the Oval Office right the way down to the guy on the street driving his car with anti-Islamic bumper stickers plastered on the side. Frankly, America is not the country I thought it was when I first moved here from the UK. It isn’t the land of the free when people can be taken from their homes without just cause. It isn’t the land of opportunity when the Republican Party, who want so much to remind us of the events of 9/11 insofar as it will get them back in office, are working to stamp out any potential “opportunity” the average person might have. America has been falsely advertised, and I respectfully request a refund.
America was told, “Never forget”. Clearly that’s not working out in America’s favour.
I think people could always be hassled for ‘no reason’ but that some lawmaker or law enforcer has a momentary reason to. We just hear about it the next day all over the news because of this huge new outlet of the Internet. And that could be our problem. With newspapers as the main channel you got a few people spouting a few ideas for people to believe in. Now, it’s everyone and all ideas. Of course the nation is going to go in 300,000,000 directions. It’s 3 million witnesses to a crime, and the cliche is that witnesses don’t all report the same thing. But let’s not remember, or forget, all of them. Just the most important. America is not immune to terrorism. No more than we are to a killer virus. There isn’t an iron curtain around the land. If someone wants to get in, with things to do mischief, they will. If someone wants to set off a dirty nuclear bomb, they can. It’s only a matter of time. The best way to counter this is not to restrict people’s rights on the chance they might be The One, it’s to roll with the punches when the event happens. A free nation that runs on ‘what if’s’ isn’t very free. And we’re discovering it again in this century.
You’re actually more fortunate than I. I’ve only been outside of the country once to Canada on a vacation. I’ve never had to try to live there. You’ve got experiences in Europe to compare to. But I sort of feel like all those nations are just as unwelcoming to outsiders as the current trend in America is. But, I still know people that would say they’d rather be here than anywhere else on the planet.
How does a nation ‘fight’ evil intent towards it? It isn’t possible. But to Bush, Jr. that meant starting a land war. Very physical and measurable. That’s the real moment the world changed. I was in Canada on Sept. 18th when that was announced. I felt that was the most stupid response ever made by a President. If only I could have stayed there in Canada. If only I could absolve myself of such loathing of the government of my loved nation. So even if we’re content to be here, we can wish Washington, DC would fall off into the Atlantic never to bother us again. World peace might ensue.
You’re trying to ply the trade of actor in Cuckoo Land. California is called ‘the land of fruits and nuts’ going on fifty years now. (Of all the states that one has the most convoluted laws to ‘protect’ the environment and people.) I’d advise experiencing more of the country. By road. It’s a big place.
Well said Ben. But I do have to say that I love being an American, but we need to get back to what that really means. We’ve got a lot of people who are using that day to increase bigotry. We’ve also got politicians so concerned with getting elected, that they are choosing not to govern for the people. They are choosing for themselves and that sucks. We are still paying for mistakes of a Bush to start wars out of some selfish personal vendetta. An abuse of power like we’ve seen in many other nation. I have no interest left in me for politics, but I hope that someone out there feels confident that they have ideas that aren’t status quo and have the ability to inspire me again. Obama started that, but stuff hasn’t come to pass as I’ve wanted, but I have to remember that change can be slow. But government (not just in America or anywhere) is like a very large corporation that change is slow and takes time and is at a high risk of corruption. I agree with Cynthia that you’ve been fortunate enough to live in other places and can have different perspectives. I do understand the idea of “never forget”. I will always remember where I was and how I felt that day. But it’s important to gain clarity, learn from that day and move on. I’m sure it’s easier for me since I wasn’t in NYC that day. But I do know that some of the stuff I’ve read this past week about the Islamic Center in NYC – which I’m conflicted about to start with – is a clear indication that we are still healing as a nation.
I’m not sure what it will take for me or others to move on completely – but at the very least – dialogues like this are a good place to start.
And I agree again with Cynthia. Travel around the country. Big place. Lots to see. Lots of different feelings around the nation. California is just a piece of the USA.