Quick reflection on what we lost 09/11/01

[Suji to Seoul]

On this day of mourning for the worst terrorist attack in the history of the country, let's look at what has happened since that fateful morning. We lost our freedoms (TSA scans, ID checks, draconian laws and punishment, free speech zones), we were thrust into two wars (one against an idea, which we know how successful those are and one based on lies), we lost our moral high ground due to torturing suspects and we are more polarized as a country than ever before. We, as a people, have been willing to exchange our liberties and freedoms for an illusion of safety and security. And now, what should have been a blip in the national radar is accepted as normal and justified.

Our country is in trouble. Gitmo is still open, indefinite detentions still exist, people are still rendered at night with black bags and people who protest are thrown into jail on charges easy to trump up and difficult to refute.

We have become the United States of Police.

They hated us for our freedoms. We, as a people, gave those up years ago. I remember Glenn Beck in 2002 saying he would gladly give up some freedoms in order to keep the country safe. Too many Americans feel that way.

Our police beat and kill us with no regard or punishment, one party loves this country but hates its citizens and our party has shifted to the right because their party has shifted even further to the right.

While we remember those that died, we need to remember those that died needlessly in an Iraqi meat grinder and an Afgan quagmire. We need to remember the most important thing that is on life support now. . .The United States Constitution. Those who used our genuine fear and panic to pervert our national identity are trying again. This time, that side has the perfect candidate to do it 100%, learning from the mistakes of the man who almost brought us to our knees.

This 9/11, we need to remember everything we lost. And we must remember to never allow it to be gone forever. I love my country. I am scared for my country. But, as I grow older, I get more and more tired. We can't do it alone. And martyrs die lonely and forgotten most of the time.

This 9/11, let's ensure, to future generations, that this country will return to what it was before 9/11. And let's ensure that those who have become powerless, lost and weakened are given the voices they need.

[Live and Learn]

1. I don't know which was worse, the attack or our response. nt

[oldsarge54]

2. A gentle disagreement

Some of the changes we got from 9/11 were indeed overdue, actually. I was a military brat, and did 25 years in the Air Force myself. I've spent 4 years in Asia, and 17 years in Europe, outside of temporary duties anywhere from Antarctica to Africa and South America. I doubt that I can be described as having a US centric view of the world. Some of your observations are legitimate, but I feel some are not.

My third reaction (after shock and a certain wry 'well done, dammit" to the perpetrators) was anger at all those flag flying new born patriots. Several times in the 70s I picked up pieces of friends and neighbors who died because Congress would not allow enough spending for spare parts for our aircraft. As an aircrew member, this concerned me when we did hasty repairs with speed tape. And yes, I was verbally abused in airport when in uniform. In the 80s, when GIs were being murdered in Europe for their ID cards, when bombs made from semtex provided by Qaddafi were going off at USAFE headquarters and the BX parking lot in Frankfurt (killing a dependant wife), I checked by car each morning for wires, varied my route, and wondered at the indifference from the American public. Picked up debris and human remains near a little town called Lockerbie. Where were all these "patriots" during my career. Oh, there was a few positive vibes after Shield/Storm, but that was it.

Now, there are some things we will just have to agree to disagree. I do not have a problem with TSA, except for their occasional goofs like searching diapers and little old ladies. We should have had that sort of security the whole time. Remember when hi-jacking aircraft was the game, back in the 70s? It was our own arrogance and over developed sense of freedom that got us this time.

Free speech zones? I missed the memo on that. Clue me in, please. ID checks? No problem there. Torturing suspects, well, I never approved of that at all, but we've done it. Remember police "sweating" a suspect. Remember good cop/bad cop crud? It has always been there, nothing new. However, making it official is way over the line. Those officials who approved and encourage water boarding should at least be the recipients of what they approved of, then charged with a crime.

Afghanistan, well if we had a clear goal, it would have helped. After smacking the Tali-band for supporting Al Quida, we could have handed the government of Afghanistan to whoever won an election and said goodbye. It would be too much different from our withdrawal plan we currently are working on, and saved many lives on both sides. As for Iraq, I agree, nuff said.

I'm not sure what the polarization of our nation has to do with 9/11. I was under the impression was that polarization is based on economic condition and the automatic assumption by Republicans that Democrats are all gay, commie, black, illegal, and on welfare (short list). Being I'm a WASP and a Democrat, I feel a little polarized by that myself.

Gitmo: Two laws. One law says we cannot deport a person to another country against their will. Makes sense, being we sent prisoners off to be tortured. Another law says we cannot move the prisoners to the US. Stupid. On the other hand, I'm a simpleton. I think of them as POWs, and should be treated accordingly. But who am I, just an old retired NCO?

As for the police, what has changed? Read your US history. Sad to say, really, nothing has changed. This is true as long as we had police forces.

I don't see our polarization and division as being a result of the demise of the middle class, a long slow process. If you will, I'll take it from a slightly Marxist interpretation (he did get a few things right). When industries started having CEOs instead of President (who had a stake in the company, and a feeling of partnership with the workers) to those people with MBAs who only saw workers as debits on the ledgers, that is when we started the downward spiral. Don't blame unions for sending jobs overseas, blame the bean counters who discovered they could get an adequate product by paying third world wages. Contrary to the Republican mantra that high costs drove manufactures away. No one drives an American away. However, they are easy to seduce with $10 a day wages and no worker benefits to worry about.

A second part of our polarization can indirectly be dated to FDRs first inauguration speech, that part about the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Out of some form perversity, that has become the Republican modes operandi. Fear of communists. Fear of Asia being a set of dominoes. Fear that somebody is living the good life on welfare. Fear of "death panels." Fear that gay marriage will somehow threaten their own marriages. Fear of muslims. Fear that union workers are getting too much. Fear that public workers are living better than you. Fear that the Fed has secrets. Fear of hyperinflation. Can you think of anything in the Republican platform that is not based on fear?

The polarization of America is essentially an economic division, we have done away with the middle class brought on by the progressives at the beginning of the last century, and have returned to the economic divisions that Marx had described in "Das Kapital." How to fix that I don't have a clue.

9/11 is not the source of all our troubles. Some have been brewing for decades. Some have never been gone, just kept under the blanket. We do need to fight the good fight. In that, you have my complete agreement.

[HappyMe]

3. People.

We lost people who were killed simply because they went to work that day. We lost firefighters, cops, Port Authority officers, EMTs.
Because of the dust and debris we are still losing people to cancer.

[jumptheshadow]

4. "Dust and debris"

Last edited Tue Sep 11, 2012, 08:46 AM - Edit history (1)

Yes, you are correct, we are still losing people to cancer. It's probably the tip of the iceberg. There will be a lot of people who will pass early before this chapter is finished. The City and the government have to keep it quiet because they fear huge costs.