20 Years Later – Have We Forgotten The Positive Lessons of 9/11?

If you are over 25 years old, chances are you remember exactly where you were on 9/11/2001.  I was less than 6 months into a new career in radio on KIT when the planes took down the world trade center and changed life in America forever.

What We Lost

Twenty years ago September 11th fell on a Tuesday. Ir was a sunny day in New York City.  A beautiful backdrop for the dirtiest of deeds when terrorists struck at the heart of America thru our most influential city.

Britannica dot-com describes New York "as the most ethnically diverse, religiously varied, commercially driven, famously congested, and, in the eyes of many, the most attractive urban center in the country."

Wall Street, Broadway, Madison Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and more all are part of America's national DNA. When the Twin Towers came down so too did our sense of American invulnerability.  Yes, we eventually got Bin Laden, we pushed the Taliban out of the Afghanistan cities, Al Queda was denied a space to regroup, train and plan but we also lost a lot of lives and spent a lot of money only to end up dancing to the Taliban's tune on our embarrassing, chaotic and deadly evacuation.  Wait, the Taliban doesn't allow music.  Well, you get the point.

Where Are We Today

Twenty years later, September 11th falls on Saturday, and halfway around the world warlords and tribesmen will fire captured American weapons into the air in celebration of the fall of the Afghan government in Kabul and the installation of the new Taliban Controlled Government.

Our leadership has lied to us in the process, tried to justify indefensible behavior in leaving Americans behind, and is claiming the botched outcome as a successful departure.   Meanwhile, here in Real-Ville, an  ABC News/Washington Post poll "shows just 49% of Americans see the United States as safer from terrorism than it was before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, down from 64% a decade ago....86% in this poll...also say the events of Sept. 11 had a lasting effect on the United States. But underscoring the public's sour mood on this issue, 46%, a new high, say it's been a change for the worse. That easily exceeds the 33% who see a change for the better, half as many as said so in spring 2002."

The Incredible Change In America's Big Liberal Cities

We can debate about how safe we may or may not be but one change really isn't in question. That's the reversal in sentiment regarding our first responding law enforcers. Sixty-one members from a variety of police departments died trying to help others on 9-11-01.

You'll recall an inspiring wave of patriotism and togetherness washed over America in the aftermath of 9/11.  It lasted for a little while and while it did, it felt great -- but from America united, the two-headed snake of political partisanship rose again and today we are as divided as we have been in 50 years, and the voices praising police for keeping us safe have been replaced by the voices of big city councils and mayors braying to defund and even abolish the police altogether.

The police have fallen from hero to zero in a generation.  What's more, the cities that once hoped police would protect from the kind of destruction that ravaged New York City have recently been attacked and destroyed from within by their fellow Americans, by Black Lives Matter Protesters, Antifa thugs, and opportunistic looters.

No wonder police officers are giving up on the careers they once loved.

Local Memorial Ceremony

Have We Forgotten?

Country Music artist Darry Worley asked in the song "Have You Forgotten?"  Given the state of the country today, I'm forced to say we have.  Maybe Mr. Worley can remind us one more time.