National Tragedy

Eleven years ago today, I watched the World Trade Center collapse in the only act of war committed on American home soil in my lifetime. I remember the sick horror of realizing how many people were dying as I watched. I remember that it seemed almost unreal, and the tears streaming down my face and the horror in my stomach were the only cues that I was witnessing actual events. I remember that most of the NYFD and many of the NYPD died doing their jobs that day. I remember the acts of heroism on United 93. I remember the silence while the planes were grounded. I remember all of it. Justice for those who died was a long time coming, but the mastermind behind it all has now paid for his act of war.

But I also remember my countrymen cowering at home and begging President Bush to keep us safe from further attacks, not realizing that you can be free or you can be safe, but it is impossible to be both. I remember the same people pilloried President Bush for doing exactly what we begged him to do in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

So for me, the real tragedy of 9/11/01 is not that so many people lost their lives. It's that the American people chose safety over freedom out of fear, which means that the terrorists have already won.