It's tomorrow. I'd almost forgotten.
It's becoming some kind of historical date like Armistice Day, or Veteran's day, or Memorial Day.
I'm not sure what we've learned from any of those last three. So, what have we learned from September 11?
I can't speak for any of you. Most of what I've learned from September 11 has to do with Americans being paranoid.
As far as Arabic terrorist groups go; I've learned that they aren't really all that well organized.
I've also learned that Americans love firefighters, and that firefighters seriously are a group of people who are up for behaving bravely, so they deserve that. That was good.
Back to Americans being paranoid...oh sigh...big topic.
I've learned that Americans are a little too happy to go after Arabic people in America.
I've learned that Americans are also a little too happy to let themselves be inspected, lest they be terrorists.
And, war. And torture. I've learned that Americans aren't quite willing to extend the needed effort to stop our government and associated military from warring upon other countries, without sufficient or any provocation; specifically those in the Middle East, but that just lately, as we have some unkind history down south as well.
And also, we have not quite been willing to do whatever needs to be done, to stop our government from secretly torturing people, in low-profile prisons, that most do not know of.
I wish I'd learned from all of this that Americans were reliably willing to get together and work with each other, debate with each other, talk about this stuff.
Alas, all I have seen is that only the best Americans are up for doing it. Everybody else is getting disgruntled and throwing rocks at each other.
Times are tough. May not be getting any better. There's other stuff involved here too; stuff about the economy and fears about climate change, and of course all the wars.
This is probably not a good time to get into internecine wars. But everywhere I look, I see more of it all the time.
Times are tough, and now that we need so much to work interdependently, we're all going at each other's throats more and more.
That's what I keep seeing.
I know it's not all about this. So...tell me a happy story here, DK commenters. Tell me how I'm wrong. Tell me how we've learned from 911 and are working forward to a better, happier, and more peaceful future.
Thanks if you can.
Miep