I wrote this a couple of years ago on the anniversary of 9-11. However, a lot of these questions can still be applied after the last election.
I was riding on the highway getting wet from the rain when I let my mind wonder a little. Today is the ninth anniversary of the attacks against our way of life. I have avoided looking at the pictures that are being foisted upon us by the various media outlets. Actually, I am sitting on a porch listening to the rain fall from the sky. I am spending today as I would any other Saturday.
I wonder, sometimes, what the motivation of the perpetrators of the attacks were thinking when they planned and murdered all of those people nine years ago. Did they really think their short sighted and vainglorious attacks would really bring down the United States of America? Did they think that acts of aggression would really cause our great nation to self-destruct?
I was brought up as a Christian and have some of the sensibilities that come with that upbringing, but martyrdom is a form of suicide to me. And suicide, to me, is a coward’s way out. From a warlords point of view 19 deaths that caused over 4000 is a pretty good ratio. But the consequences of all those deaths seem to me to be outweighed by them. All of the people killed after the 911 attacks---the wars that started since then, and the sullying of two great faiths…
And yet, the attacks have succeeded in a way. Since that fateful day 9 years ago, our great country has become more divided and hostile toward itself. Democrats and Republicans have turned on each other and are too busy fighting one another to govern our country during our time of most need. There are idiot/fanatics that think burning holy books is a valid way to celebrate this day. We’ve got zealots who think it is funny making caricatures of our President with bones in his nose or skinny little, toothbrush mustache.
Granted, before September 11, 2001, our elected leaders had differences of opinion and there were those that burned books to make a point and we had political caricatures of politicians. But was it as divisive and violent as we see now? I have been actively listening and forming opinions on events for a while now and the truth is, it feels more hateful and partisan than ever before.
So I ask all of my loyal readers, are we more conflict-ridden since the attacks of September 11th 2001? Or are we simply more exposed.
