Understanding 911 and the politics of blame

These 911 Commission hearings are fascinating. But lurking below the surface is something that really bothers me.

They don’t get it.

On the other hand, neither do we. It is not enough to point the finger at those who did it. No, our bloodlust demands more. So our “unbiased” bipartisan surrogates are looking under every rock for someone else to blame.

But they are looking in the wrong place. They should start with us.

Now, don’t think for a second that I want to give us a giant guilt complex. That monkey is already on our backs. Here we are, the nation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, standing before the world as a beacon of light. And somehow we have lost our torch.

Let’s be honest. We are confused, stumbling in the dark.

We delude ourselves into thinking that we are a bastion of freedom. Perhaps in a sense we are, at least insofar as we haven’t traded it for a false sense of self-righteousness. But when it comes to lighting the way for others to follow, we have a long way to go.

We do not pray to the God who speaks to us from inner silence, but to the god of comfort, acquisition, and preservation of our overly indulgent lifestyle. While much of the world is experiencing the turmoil of awakening consciousness, we’re happy to sit down and say, “Sorry, guys. You’re on your own.”

And while many struggle to reclaim their own right to self-determination, our demand for more, bigger and better spurs our leaders to ride atop our nation’s technological steed, wielding a sword of righteous indignation. And if they don’t keep the heathens from the gates of our magnificent creation, we’ll get someone who will.

With that in mind, the 911 commission is doing us a huge favor. They’re wielding the broom so we can pretend we’re sweeping up all the cobwebs that contributed to this horrible event. But when they’re done, we’ll still have our heads in the sand.

And the wounds that give rise to terrorism and the conflict between cultures will continue to worsen.

So what are we doing to combat the root causes that led to this disaster in the first place? Do we ask our leaders to address the underlying issues of religious conflict, nationalism, hunger, and political oppression? No, we put them in the dock to explain how they allowed third world terrorists to wake us from our daydream. As we sit wringing our hands, demanding that they build our walls a little higher. We arm ourselves further, hoarding the spoils of our conquests. Thomas Jefferson would have been proud.

Can I tell you a secret?

Some of us want more from our nation. More than a safe place to live, more than a reasonable income to feed our families, and even more than sand to stick your head in.

In fact, we want more of ourselves. We want to stand up and be counted, to make a difference and make this world a better place. But those desires do not come from a reaction to protect our way of life, but from the inner whispers of our souls. Perhaps the 911 tragedy was a wake-up call for some, but for most it only accelerated what was already happening inside.

Many are beginning to wonder where our great experiment in democracy is headed. What is our role in the world?

Sure, we have to protect ourselves from wanton destruction. But we are much more than a noisy mouth that carries a big stick and threatens to swing it at anyone who looks at us the wrong way.

We are supposed to be a nation of vision, where internally guided principles and individual rights take precedence over all else. Isn’t it time we followed suit and demanded that our leaders put that vision ahead of business interests or the latest downturn in the economy? Or will we continue to allow them to buy us through pork-barrel rights and benefits?

Some say that we must move beyond our role as a world policeman to one of true leadership, not by force, but by love and patient guidance. That doesn’t mean rolling over and playing dead. But it does mean putting our actions where our principles are, and not simply trying to protect our wallets.

Our technology has created the means to unite this world into one great society. Yet sometimes it seems we stand in the way of that happening, even as the world’s oppressed demand a piece of the pie of abundance.

If you are a parent, you know that the time has come to let our children grow up. And when they do, we have to let them stand and fall by themselves. And hopefully we’ll be there to help them when they do.

The rest of the world is very much like our children, and we are the parents. We’ve fed you these values ​​for over 200 years. He is now growing up and wants to be treated like an adult, not someone to be bullied and controlled forever. How will we respond?

Will we beat them into submission? Or let them choose their own path while offering a vision of a path to peace and happiness that they, too, may find valuable?

Maybe we can drag them behind the woodshed for a while longer. Eventually, though, what goes around comes around. They will grow up, and the beating will be on us.

Meanwhile, we know what we have to do. We have to throw out the bums. Because if we don’t, we may be forced to look at those who are really at fault.

And that’s one the 911 commission wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.