Remembering September 11

September 11, 2001, is one of those dates where we all remember where we were and what we were doing when we heard The News. I was driving a school bus at 7:30 in the morning (PDT) when a high school student boarding the bus said that planes had crashed into the World Trade Towers in New York, and they were on fire, and the same thing had happened at the Pentagon. I laughed and said, "Right." Another angst driven adolescent trying to boost their self esteem by putting one over on an authority figure. But the student was so adamant and serious that I finally turned on the radio, and lo and behold, the unthinkable had happened: the United States was under attack.

Well, that was four long years ago now. Plenty of time to reflect on the whys and the wherefores, and to do whatever was necessary to prevent such a calamity from happening again. The United States lost no time gearing up its War Machine and bombing the hell out of countries that couldn't defend themselves. They also lost no time in revoking most of the rights and freedoms of their own citizens, and coercing other countries to do the same.

Did it help? Are we safer now than we were four years ago? Have the terrorist attacks stopped? Have they decreased? Have they got worse? Are there less terrorists now? Are there more?

And what's with these terrorists anyway? Are they really some sort of noble warrior class, doing the will of God, sacrificing their lives to save the world from the evil Americans, as their rhetoric would have us believe?

Here's what I believe. I believe that human beings are not happy unless they have someone to look down on and despise. Thankfully, most civilized people direct these negative energies toward child molesters, or the government, or the phone company, or people who club baby seals over the head. And most civilized people limit their actions to ranting and raving, falling short of any actual physical nastiness, primarily because they're too busy trying to earn their daily bread, and keep their teenage offspring out of jail.

Unfortunately, some people are not satisfied with ranting and raving. They need more. They need violence. They are thugs. They are terrorists.

After 911, a great many people were quick to proclaim that the terrorists were simply paying the United States back for its questionable foreign policies. I say that's a load of bull. Oh yes, the United States has orchestrated some real foreign policy disasters over the years, but so have many other countries, including Russia, France, Germany, Britain, and the list goes on.

No, this is not a war between the United States and any particular group of terrorists. This is a war between all the civilized, peace-loving people of the world, and bloodthirsty thugs who want more power, or money, or fame, or all three, and have found a huge pool of recruits among the poor, the uneducated, and the dispossessed, ripe for brainwashing and indoctrination, to go out and do their dirty work for them.

And anyone who tries to say that the United States has something against Muslims is completely ignoring the war in the Balkans. When Slobidan Milosovich was conducting genocide on the Muslims in his own country, and the United Nations stood by and did nothing, it was the United States that went to their rescue. They ultimately convinced some NATO partners to join in the effort, but it was primarily the United States that saved the lives of millions of Muslims, so enough of this silly anti-Muslim crap already.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not an apologist for the United States. George Warmonger Bush is nothing more than a simple-minded puppet of the Chemical Manufacturers Association (Big Oil Companies) who has done nothing but make the situation worse since 911. He may not be quite as nasty as the likes of Osama Bin Laden, but he's right up there. Like all wars, the war on terrorism is nothing more than a few overgrown schoolyard bullies - on both sides - thirsting for more wealth and/or power and/or notoriety, exploiting and convincing the unwashed masses to go out and slaughter each other. There are no noble ideals anywhere in sight.

And speaking of Osama Bin Laden, how is it that after FOUR YEARS, the most powerful and technologically advanced country on Earth can't even find him, let alone apprehend or kill him? How is that possible? Sort of makes one wonder just how hard they're trying, doesn't it? But that's a whole other story...

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