9/11 changed everything - except it didn't

Still weak when they should be strong.

Evidently Democrats are flustered about how to deal with Republicans on issues of national security. Specifically, they don't want to confront Republicans with illegally monitoring phone conversations because they think people will side with their valiant Republican protectors. What a bunch of pussies. But they may be right, because this country is turning into a bunch of scared-y cat reactionaries. Ready. Fire. Aim. We've been this way ever since 9/11 changed everything.

Naturally the threat of terrorism still exists. Future terrorist strikes are more a matter of when than if. And let's be realistic: the terrorists are smart and resourceful. They went 3 for 4 on 9/11. Given the thousands of ways to cause chaos, death, and destruction, they will be very hard to fight. This battle is not likely to end for decades, and we will take casualties.

But here's a different perspective: 9/11 didn't change everything. It didn't change who we are, and it didn't change what we stand for. The terrorist attacks caused 2,972 deaths and we are all sorry for that. However, we have a great nation. As mercenary and callous as it sounds, 2,972 deaths doesn't "change everything". In 2001 we lost 42,443 lives in auto accidents and it didn't "change everything". Of course those people didn't have their lives intentionally cut short. The 20,308 people murdered in 2001 did, but we're only interested in about 3000 of those. In terms of loss-of-life, car accidents are most tragic, but then 9/11 also destroyed billions in infrastructure and commerce...is that why we attach such import to it? Hmm, well Rita destroyed most of a city, but that didn't "change everything".

What "changed everything" is that we learned there are some monstrous people out there who mean us harm. And naturally we turned to some bold figures who promised to "get the terrorists" and "keep us safe". There's nothing wrong with either of those sentiments. Retaliation and prevention are exactly how we should respond. But there is such a thing as taking things too far. Pre-emptive wars with countries unassociated with the offenders are a bit extreme, and the encroachment of privacy and civil liberties by the Patriot Act is excessive. And then when you reach the point where your government is no longer following the law, and you as a citizen are ok with that, you've gone way too far.

Maybe you think it's ok for the government to spy on you without a warrant. Maybe you trust the President enough that you don't think he should have any oversight from Congress or the judiciary. Maybe you're so afraid of terrorists that you no longer believe in trivial things like the Bill of Rights or Law. You're entitled to your opinion, but think about this:

1. The goal of terrorism is to make people respond through fear. How do you suppose they feel when we credit them with "changing everything"? How do they feel when we voluntarily curtail our rights? How do they feel when we consolidate power in the executive and make our government look more like theirs? I'll tell you how they feel. Proud of beating us.
2. A lot of people worked really hard to bring us both a Bill of Rights and a system of checks and balances (aka stable democracy). These have weathered sterner challenges in America's history, and we aren't living up to the standards of our forefathers as we part with them.
3. America is bigger than a few buildings, or even a city. We won the cold war and emerged as the most economically and culturally dominant (best!) country on the planet. We used to stare down the barrel of mutually assured annihilation everyday before breakfast. The terrorists have nothing on that. It's time we applied some of our greatness to defeating terrorism. And I'm not talking about wars, tanks or sanctions, I'm talking about intrinsic greatness. We need only be greater than them. Each of us with freedom, opportunity, and the power to shape our destiny. That's how we won the Cold War...with free speech and personal liberties. The terrorists fear our way of life because no culture has ever proved so pervasive. They fear their daughters will go to college or wear bikinis. They fear Jack Daniels and MTV. They fear us as we are, because unless they succeed in changing us we will win. They cannot compete with our greatness, unless we change.

What "changed everything" is that we learned there are some monstrous people out there who mean us harm. Fine. We've had some time to let that idea sink in. We've chosen some people to try to stop them and some others to try to get them before they get us. We work on it, like we work on a cure for any other cancer. (Cancers incidentally killed 554,000 in 2001) It's time to stop letting it rule our lives. New rule: excepting victims' loved ones, anyone who claims "9/11 changed everything" is a giant pussy.

Maybe the next terrorist strike comes today or maybe it comes in 10 years. Maybe it strikes New York or DC or El Paso or rural Kansas. When it comes it will again test our merit. I hope when that day comes we have a leader who takes appropriate action without blowing things out of proportion. I don't want to hear how the acts of scoundrels "changed everything". I want to hear that we are America, and our greatness, courage, and values are untouchable.