9-11

I did not intentionally do much to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/on-sept-11-anniversary-appeals-to-remember-as-time-passes/ar-AAeap4l?li=AAa0dzB?ocid=ansmsnnews11  I started the day very conscious of the anniversary, and did put my flag out. At the football game the team's uniforms honored the living and dead first responders, veterans, and military members.  But that was it.

But I often think about how 9/11 changed us.  Our nation's citizens had rights curtailed by virtue of the Patriot Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Act which allowed The Department of Homeland Security http://www.dhs.gov/ and other government agencies extensive liberties in surveillance, wiretapping, data mining, and invasions of privacy in the name of looking for terrorists or terroristic activity.

Our language has change: 9/11; ground zero; first responders (which was used previous to that attack, but not as prevalently as after); Homeland Security, to mention a few.

Our way of looking at things has changed.  First responders are more recognized as heroes.  Or at least, people who put their life on the line.  The members of the military are honored, and it is not uncommon for someone to approach a person in uniform, and to say "Thank you for your service."

In my way of thinking, we as a country are more leery about immigrants and refugees. Yet, I think some people have gone out of their way to be more aware of diversity and learn about different cultures, countries, religions.   

I also wonder if some of the police on citizen violence does not hearken back to the changes caused by 9/11.  First responders were given more authority by virtue of the need to seek out terrorists.  But when someone is given more authority, it is easy to generalize that to any or every situation. And, minority profiling, whether intentional, by policy, or unintentional, does occur.  So it became easier for someone so inclined to abuse their authority in certain situations.  We know this has happened for years.  I don't know if it has become worse recently, or we are just more aware of it, attuned to it, and seeing more unbiased evidentiary reports about it.

Of course, security at airports and the borders, even with our neighbor to the north, Canada, and to the south, Mexico, has increased. 

I wonder what exactly Al Qaeda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda hoped to accomplish by these attacks.  To bring the United States down, in some way, shape, or form.  To my thinking, these attacks made our country stronger.  It started with Flight 93, when people did what they could.  Instead of being helpless victims on a skyjacked plane, they fought back, realizing they might not live, anyway. I think in many ways even though we have a lot of divisiveness in the country, we as a citizenry will rally together against any outside attach.

I think the public response to the Boston Marathon bombers, Boston Strong https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Strong, was a symbol of how the people of this country come together against outside attacks.

I personally am not sure how 9/11 changed me.  I have reflected that in the last few years, I am more conscious of thanking members of the military and first responders. I attend memorial services, and find myself tearing up when I hear patriotic music. I have passively accepted "security measures" while wondering if I should oppose the infringements on my rights. I feel stronger about wanting to defend my country. I feel stronger about wanting the wrongs in my country to be righted.

I fly very little, but do not find the impositions of searches and security measures that intrusive, partly, I think, because I work on a prison and search and investigation of personal effects is a regular experience. Except that the searches add so much time to the flight. But, I would rather drive so I can throw whatever into the car, even if I end up not needing it. Internet security is a problem, but it always was.

I think we have just settled into the "new normal" without realizing what we have lost or gained.   And that is the worst outcome of 9/11. Not being aware of what he have lost or gained.