Four years after the 9/11 attacks I'm still angry. I've been watching interviews with victims' families, reading news sites and weblogs, and viewing documentaries commemorating the events of 9/11 all day and I am angry. Interestingly, the commemoration of these events is not fueling my anger. Rather it's revealing the residue of shock and anger I felt that day, which has never entirely worn off. It drives me to try to understand the inexplicable. It compels me to use the only weapons at my disposal--ideas and prayer.
It's strange to think that as I pray to God for (among other things) the preservation of our society, those of a different faith are praying for its destruction. Is it a religious war? I don't think it is, per se. But, it is not just a war of bombs and bullets. It is a struggle for which ideology will ultimately have preeminence in the governance of the affairs of men. Islamo-fascists are trying to impose by force an ideology that is the enemy of freedom, self-expression, and independence--all of which are virtues ingrained in the American DNA (and most of Western civilization). Obviously, our society isn't perfect. But, at its core, it values the highest ideals to which mankind can aspire. It promotes freedom; tolerates religion (and the non-religious); respects women as equals; embraces other cultures; and is full of possibilities that inspire progress. It is worth fighting for, despite what those who hate us say.
I'm glad that the last show I watched tonight was the Discovery Channel's documentary about Flight 93 called The Flight That Fought Back, which is often said to be the occasion of the first battle won in the War on Terror. Toward the end of the documentary the passengers and crew were said to be representative of America--people of different genders, races, and ages who decided to take their destiny back into their own hands. How did they do it? They voted. They united for a common purpose and took action to strike back at the enemy. Their sacrifice saved our nation's Capitol and, very likely, hundreds more lives. It is an inspiring story.
But, it is tremendously sad to see that our nation is no longer united these four years later. I still hope that our society has the will to remain steadfast in this war. As an American, I am optimistic that we can see it through to the end, though the realist in me sometimes doubts. I see no alternative. Living under a Caliphate is not an option. So, I will stand and fight through prayer and (hopefully) persuasion to do my small part in this battle of ideas. Because I'm angry...and resolute.
UPDATE: Mark Steyn has some additional thoughts.
1 comment:
The operative words in my post were "by force." Obviously, everyone in America has a right to a point of view and to express it peacefully through their legislatures, the ballot box, etc. It's when people start flying planes into buildings that I have a problem. Also, I don't condone any violence by religious fanatics in our country from the right (e.g. abortion bombings) or the left (domestic environmental terrorism).
The list of things you consider "freedoms" is kind of strange, but you should know that I'm fairly libertarian in my views of these issues, as are most of my Republican friends.
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