This Is Very Sad

[fishinwrench]

OR.... you could just stay out of their business from the git-go and request that they do the same. Those big oceans that separate us are there for a reason.

Same with the languages. We aren't even supposed to be communicating with each other.

[Feathers and Fins]

They would still come and still attack us. It is their goal to interrupt and terrorize thinking the ocean is a barrier is foolish and thinking language barriers is going to help is even more foolish. We cannot just sit back and think they wont bother us if we don't bother them ( That would be repeating Pearl Harbor ) and already happened on 9-11.

Its a big world but a lot smaller than you think, Trade alone ties the world together each nation has or wants something from others and no one nation is 100% self sufficient anymore.

The other major issue is the Media's reporting all these acts of terror, Without them its very hard to terrorize simply put if you cant do it then it is not effective anymore. But Horror and Death sell ratings.

[Al Agnew]

So Al, when did patriotism end in your opinion? What caused it to end? And when do you think we can get it back?

Mitch, my point was that true patriotism hasn't ended, not even close, and true patriots are abundant on both sides of the political spectrum. They all love this country, but they all have different ideas on how to make it better. Patriotism isn't "love it or leave it", it's "love it but understand that it will always be a work in progress that can be improved." The problem is that so many people forget that, and assign various nefarious motives to those who disagree with them. Lack of patriotism isn't the problem, lack of respect for and cooperation with others is.

It tears me up to hear and read of conservatives bashing liberals and liberals bashing conservatives constantly as if they were the enemy, and it's obvious that whole lot of people really think those on the other side ARE the enemy. THAT'S what will be the downfall of this country. 9/11 showed that we CAN get that spirit of cooperation and respect back, but once the dust settled it went away again. I hate to think that it takes such a horrific threat to this country to get it back.

[jimithyashford]

When I was on my way into work the other day, I had to ask the guy at the gas station why the flags were half-mast. Obviously I know about 9/11. I was 14 when it happened, I "came of age" in the post 9/11 decade. It was a pretty darn big influence on my life, but I still wasn't thinking "terrorism, 9/11, remembrance" that morning. It was just another morning.

So that got me thinking. Eventualy tragic events do fade into history and stop being at the tip of the public concious. That is normal. That is how it should be. Nobody wakes up on Dec 7th and thinks "This is Peral Harbor day". Nobody put the flags at half mast on May 7th in remembrance of the Sinking of the Lusitania. These were important events that were very much in the Patriotic vein of the country at the time, but eventually the wound stops being so raw, eventually it fades, and eventually people don't really think about it unless it's brought up or someone reminds them.

I think everyone understand that this happens, and there is nothing wrong with that. Eventually the day of tragedies should just fade back into just being another day, that is healthy and normal. The question is, how long should that take? Is it too soon for people to need to be reminded why the flags are at half mast? Is it too soon for saying the phrase "9/11" to be just a date? I dunno. It still feels recent, but its really not. There are teenagers out there who were not alive when the attack happened. I know that seems crazy, it doesn't seem like it's been that long, but if you have a 13 year old born the later part of the year, they were not even alive when the attacks happened.

Maybe we can cut people some slack, maybe it's about time to let that one fade into the place of a historic event rather than a current and ongoing hurt?

[fishinwrench]

Good point, Jimithy.

I mean after all....are we 100% sure that it was an "unwarranted" attack ?

[jimithyashford]

Well, I get the definite sense that this message board leans a little bit to the Conservative side, so I don't want to open that can of worms. Not that I mind a good vigorous political diebate, this just doesn't seem like the right place for it. So, warranted or not, I was simply trying to say that I think it is not only natural, but healthy, for the salience and emminence of these kinds of events to fade with time, and maybe 9/11 is starting to reach that stage, and that's ok.

[fishinwrench]

I think so too. For a guy that can't fish for $#it you're pretty sharp.

[Terrierman]

Patriotism isn't dead but it took some major hits in the wake of, and to some degree because of our decision to go into Iraq instead of focusing on Afghanistan.

The day after the attack I was in a grocery store parking lot and a reporter doing random interviews approached me and asked me with some questions.

I remember I told her I thought 9-11 was worse than Pearl Harbor because it was on the mainland and it wasn't a military target that was struck. I also told her war was a terrible thing, but now was a time for war. I also remember saying I hoped we would be wise about who we attacked. I still think all of those things were the right thing to say, and the fact that we didn't live up to the last one has a lot to do with a lot of our problems over the last 13 years.

Spot on.

[Feathers and Fins]

I think most of us were old enough to have that since of American Pride in us, my fear is the kids today do not have it nor the determination that goes with it. Jimmy this is not a subject to me that should be about the political parties to me its one about "WE" that encompasses all Americans, If we could hold that since of right and pride in country and our fellow countrymen I truly know we would be a better country.

[Mitch f]

Maybe we can cut people some slack, maybe it's about time to let that one fade into the place of a historic event rather than a current and ongoing hurt?

I understand that kids should not have their chops busted by not knowing about certain events. I get that. However we shouldn't forget about 9/11 so quickly.