9/11-- Eight Years Later

Yes, today is Sept. 11, 2009, exactly eight years after that infamous day. So much has happened since then. I was just thinking this morning where I was and what I was doing on that morning. I had just returned to my dorm from an early morning treadmill workout at the EIU gym to get ready for my first class of the day. Being a journalism major at the time, I dutifully turned on my TV to watch the news. The opening shot on The Today Show was of a crazy scene at NYC's World Trade Center. I listened carefully and realized what was going on. Later on, I went to my classes-- both sociology electives. Obviously, the terrorist attacks were all we talked about. The first class was at 9:30, so many of my classmates weren't aware of what had transpired. After my second class, I went to the campus coffeeshop as usual. While waiting for my standard black coffee and bagel w/fat-free (of course!) cream cheese, I got into a discussion with a couple other gals about what had just gone down. During the conversation, an elderly gentleman politely interrupted us and asked what we were discussing. The girl behind the counter and I explained the situation to him. I'll never forget the look of shock on that man's face as long as I live. For some reason, treadmill workouts, coffee, and fat-free cream cheese didn't matter so much anymore.
Fast-forward to today. America-- and the world-- is a very different place. Ever since 9/11, there has been this paranoid, fearful vibe permeating our society. We have been subjected to some very anti-American policies and attitudes. If you look at history, art and intellectualism are the first casualties of war. For instance, right after 9/11, ClearChannel satellite radio banned airplay of music by artists believed to be, or to have at one time been, national security threats. Tops on this McCarthy-esque "blacklist" were John Lennon and Cat Stevens-- perhaps two of my favorite artists of all time. Needless to say, I have a personal vendetta against ClearChannel. In addition, those of us on the left have been accused of being unpatriotic. (These neocons need a serious remedial history lesson.) Worst of all, anyone who is from the Middle East or practices Islam, like Cat Stevens, for example, has been automatically labeled as a "terrorist." Come on, folks, we're better than that! However, I believe the climate is changing. Even though the economy sucks and we're still fighting these stupid wars, people now understand what really matters in this life-- each other. I know that sounds corny and, well, South Park-y, but it seems to be what's going on right now. This country has survived so much throughout its history (hello, the Civil War, the Great Depression?!) that I know we can make it through all this.