Its been a decade since 9/11 and the big question is how did that date change us as a country.
The big answer for anyone over 30 then is really not much.
While our lifestyle has changed with security checks at airports and hotels 9/11 on the adult psyche was really a bump in the road.
Our world view and our self view already established accommodated 9/11 but real change? The debates that are going on right now in this country prove that we old folks haven’t learned all that much. We are like those oldsters who caused the Great Depression and enabled Hitler, Tojo and Mussolini to start World War II.
It is not a good comparison but it is a fair one.
On the other hand we do notice a distinct change in our children.
Ten years ago we were getting ready to have a heated argument with our daughter about where she would be attending college.
Fresh from a summer in Israel she was suddenly in love with the idea of going to Jerusalem’s Hebrew U.
We were opposed. The second intifada was going on and taking a bus in Israel was taking her life into her hands.
We prepared for the big fight through most of August of 2001. Feeling out the lay of the battlefield jousting here and there looking for weakness.
By the beginning of September 10 years ago we both knew a monumental showdown was in the offing. Neither one of us had yielded to pointed comments toward our respective positions.
She wanted adventure in Israel we wanted her safe and close by in America. We knew we would win it. Our strategy was to go for a compromise instead of out right rejection we would appeal to her common sense. Do the first two years here and then if she was still hot for the idea we could talk again.
Needless to say we never had that fight, 9/11 happened not only was our biggest card, safety in America, ripped to shreds but our daughter acquired a new steely eyed determination that nobody, no where, no how was going to intimidate her. Not some wild eyed Muslim extremist and not her father.
We have noticed that same determination in our daughter and her brothers and their friends and classmates.
While we of previous generations struggle to come to terms with the knowledge that this country is vulnerable, the young see things quite differently. Being vulnerable does not mean one is weak. And the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Yes it is a lesson that has been taught and learned before and perhaps one cannot truly learn it without a national catastrophe at a young age.
Those of the 9/11 generation had their metal tested and purified. They are of better and stronger stuff than their parents.
They have swelled the ranks of the all volunteer army conquered two countries and moved political mountains.
They are the best of us and they have not yet even hit their stride.
Remember the GI’s of World War II, the Greatest Generation commanded the heights of political power from Kennedy in 1960 to 1992 with George HW Bush and are still a force to be reckoned with today.
We baby boomers on the other hand have come late to power and with those shaped by 9/11 will probably exit early.
If they weren’t our children we might be nervous.
Like most newspaper we invite criticism, it makes for a better product. On our printed page we do require a name since we put our name on our product. On our website however one can comment anonymously.
Well kind of.
We still have to approve all comments before they are posted and every comment does leave enough trace information so we can identify them.
A certain gadfly going under the handle of Wendover Will has become annoying enough to peek our curiosity.
Will it seems doesn’t like us or how we use the first amendment.
Well everyone is entitled to an opinion.
According to Will’s trace he is on a government server, probably using a government bought computer and on government paid for time is surfing the internet and complaining about his lack of freedom to post things on our paid for website.
His bosses have been notified.