9/11 Tragedy
2011-09-12 - by
At some point this weekend I reached 9/11 overload. It was wall-to-wall remembrances, reflections and recollections. No media outlet, no sporting event and no advertiser could miss the chance to milk as much heartfelt soulfulness as possible.
The focus, of course, was on the heroes, the fallen and the families: “Never forgotten.” “Never forget.” “We’ll remember always.”
But which was worse: the damage the 9/11 attacks did on our “homeland” (as we say), or the damage we’ve done to ourselves since?
Two bloody wars. Thousands of dead and wounded men and women. Trillions of dollars. A budget surplus turned into a chronic deficit. A healthy economy turned into a basket case. An aviation system turned into a police state. A politics more narrow-minded and base than ever.
Osama bin Laden knew that four suicide jets alone wouldn’t topple America, even if they toppled some buildings.
He hoped to lure us into a long, bloody, costly war in the Middle East that would wreck our nation, just as it wrecked the Soviet Union.
He hoped we would wreck ourselves. We seem determined to oblige him.
Let’s not forget that lesson.
9/11 Tragedy
2011-09-12/
At some point this weekend I reached 9/11 overload. It was wall-to-wall remembrances, reflections and recollections. No media outlet, no sporting event and no advertiser could miss the chance to milk as much heartfelt soulfulness as possible.
The focus, of course, was on the heroes, the fallen and the families: “Never forgotten.” “Never forget.” “We’ll remember always.”
But which was worse: the damage the 9/11 attacks did on our “homeland” (as we say), or the damage we’ve done to ourselves since?
Two bloody wars. Thousands of dead and wounded men and women. Trillions of dollars. A budget surplus turned into a chronic deficit. A healthy economy turned into a basket case. An aviation system turned into a police state. A politics more narrow-minded and base than ever.
Osama bin Laden knew that four suicide jets alone wouldn’t topple America, even if they toppled some buildings.
He hoped to lure us into a long, bloody, costly war in the Middle East that would wreck our nation, just as it wrecked the Soviet Union.
He hoped we would wreck ourselves. We seem determined to oblige him.
Let’s not forget that lesson.