7/7/05


Today was a big news day. Terrorist action that has been feared and anticipated since 9/11 has occurred again.

I first became aware of it as I backed out of my driveway this morning. The volume was down on my dashboard radio, but I faintly heard Michael Smirkonish say, “London is under siege this morning.”

I wish I could describe the feeling that went through me in reaction to this statement, but I can’t. No one word or phrase can capture it. Fear, of course, is one word. A photographic memory of 911 leads to a deflated spirit. A heightened sense of the need to protect my wife and daughter. A question goes through my mind, “Is this the attack that sets off a series of attacks that really throws the free world into chaos?”

The next news story that immediately followed was of Tropical Storm Cindy, which made landfall in Louisiana and hindered oil production and refining. Then the sports report chronicled the Phillies shutout of the Pirates, it seemed so silly, so insignificant in light of the day’s events…
Whenever this type of news hits it seems to shake me out of my “All-American complacency bubble.” I think all the elements of American life that are good -- peace, security, prosperity -- can lead to us becoming self-centered, self-absorbed. Often our biggest concern is whether our weekend activities are going to be rained out.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a proud American. I am not one who believes we have to hang our heads in shame for having what we have and being who we are. I do not believe that America is responsible for all that is wrong with the world, quite the contrary. I don’t think there is a braver, more compassionate nation on the face of the earth.

What I do think, is that with our affluent lifestyle we can get lost in the fantasy of American life. It’s all about our stuff, our entertainment centers, our sports and games. We forget that there are moms and dads, husbands and wives, and sons and daughters of military personnel who go to bed every night wondering where their loved ones are, praying that they will survive another day.

Then a day like this one comes along and makes us realize how big the world is, and how small our little worlds are.

Where do we go from here? We should honor our troops who are still fighting this war by getting behind them, really supporting them, rather than just paying them lip service. Our politicians need to set aside their agendas and quit telling our troops that they are failing in Iraq. We owe it to the ones who have already died and their families to give the troops a strategy rooted in unwavering resolve to fight the enemy of world-wide terrorism and the resources they need to win