Have We Forgotten 9/11?

I was listening to the radio today and heard a pair of DJs making fun of patriotism. It made me remember an old article I wrote several years ago on spec for a magazine that went belly up before the first issue hit the stands. I realized after reading it that it still applies.

9/11 - The Day America Lost Its Virginity

September 11^th---a day that will live in American history as the day that America lost its virginity. Up until that day, we never really knew what terrorism is...Not really. We didn't understand what some countries go through on a daily basis. The fear of going to work, the terror of walking into a coffee shop for your morning coffee, or the pain of losing not just a family member, but a countryman. We lost our cherry at the cost of more than 3000 lives.

The under-30 generation finally learned what patriotism means. What it means to stand up for something more than, WHAT I WANT! What it really means to pull together and support your fellow man.

Now the under-30 generation understands why Memorial Day and Veteran's Day is so important. They understand why we have a national holiday to support military veterans. They finally understand why their own feelings and their own goals are not always the only things in the world that matter.

At least they did until the fad wore off.

Was 9/11 Patriotism a Fad?

For the first few months after 9-11, I thought that the country had finally come together and had finally given up the "It's not my fault" mentality. People who had never really understood what the word Patriotism means...these same people were flying flags, burning candles, singing songs, giving blood, donating time, donating food, and donating clothes for those who lost everything. They were actually showing sympathy for those left behind, and meaning it.

But I may have been wrong.

It appears that these people who I thought had finally realized there is more to life than "what's in it for them" hadn't actually learned anything new, they were just following the pop-culture phenomenon of the moment. I was disappointed all over again.

The Blame Game is Still as Powerful as Ever

It is now nearly seven years later and the flags are gone. The "what's in it for me" mentality is back in full swing. The "Blame Game" is back in the limelight. The country pulling together for the good of your neighbor...that is so out.

I first began to notice this change when I was researching a story on the Federal Emergency Management Team of the United States government. FEMA announced they were hiring four full-time "swindle-patrol" officers to be stationed in New York City. It seems there have been more cases of fraudulent September 11^th claims than I ever thought possible. Imagine, people claiming they lost loved ones in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11^th just so they could get their hands on some of the money that caring, giving and considerate people donated to the numerous relief funds.

A New York woman told FEMA that she lost her husband in the twin towers on 9-11 and received $25,000. She was happily congratulating herself on her exceptional intelligence and her ability to outsmart the government when, low and behold, federal authorities discovered her husband was alive and well and living in another state. He was none to happy to discover that he was dead.

Another man concocted a scheme to get his hands on some of that disaster relief money as well. He recruited homeless people to make claims to FEMA that they had lost their homes in the disaster. After the homeless people collected the money, they were allowed to keep a cut while the "genius" that thought up this plan kept the rest. He too was enjoying the spoils of his intellect when he was caught.

And one of the worst cases of fraud was instigated within weeks of the tragedy.. Some of the construction companies hired to help with debris removal at Ground Zero have been found guilty of fraud. Since the companies are paid by the weight of the debris they removed, a few contractors hid water tanks under their trucks to pad their fees. This is probably one of the worst types of intentional fraud perpetrated against FEMA and other disaster relief organizations since these companies present themselves as caring entities with nothing but noble intentions.

Now don't think that intentional fraud is the only thing going on. There has been a resurgence of the "It's not my fault" mentality that has plagued the U.S since the term "political correctness" came into being. People who believe they are not being treated fair, and others who truly believe the Constitution guarantees happiness are also plaguing the financial and emotional reserves of the nation, still. Even people with legitimate claims are crying foul. Some who did lose loved ones on September 11^th, and received financial compensation from emergency relief programs put in place by the federal government are now claiming that it isn't enough. They want more.

Employers faced both real and bogus claims of work-related stress as a result of Osama bin Laden getting a bug up his butt. And it is getting harder to distinguish between the two. The number of claims being filed, not just in New York and Washington D.C., but around the country is mind-blowing. Where in the Constitution does it guarantee happiness? If you check, I'm pretty sure that all it guarantees is the pursuit of happiness.

And finally to add insult to injury, even the federal government is getting in on the Blame Game now. There are accusations that President Bush knew about the September 11^th attacks before hand and he chose not to do anything. Saying that the president chose to sacrifice American lives for the sake of profit (yes those accusations are out there, and you know who you are) is like saying the Pope approves of the actions of some of his American priests (you know the ones I mean). It's just not true.

Maybe I'm Wrong

Now maybe I'm looking at this all wrong. The people of America did come together in out most desperate hour. Old and young, black and white, rich and poor---we all came together to tell Osama and his idiots---excuse me---his followers, that we weren't going to take that crap. We proved that even though are primarily interested in our own lives, when you attack even one of us from the outside, you will have to face us all.

The USA is a country founded on its individuality and our desire not to want the rest of the world to tell us how to live our lives. We have made some mistakes, as every kid growing up does. However, we have always pulled together when the whole country is attacked. We are allowed to fight amongst ourselves, as most families do. But if you are outside the family, and decide to push your beliefs and ideas on us as the only absolute truth, you will see that camaraderie and loyalty come to the surface again, as it did after September 11^th.

We are an independent family of all different races, creeds, religions and upbringing. We want o live our lives the way we want to live without the influence of any outside country or government. And we do tend to forget that sometimes. We get so involved in our own little world, that we forget that we still have to watch each others backs, and we will.

Do not Mistake Our Complacency for Apathy

So if any of you terrorist regimes think that attacking us on our home turf is a good idea, just remember what happened last time. You were successful the first time with just a portion of your attack. A small group of Americans on the fourth plane that day made the decision that you and your philosophy of murder for the sake of murder would not fly on their plane. Yes, despite the fact that your suicide bombers had technical control of that plane, American citizens had the real control. They decided that if they were going to die, they were going to die on their own terms, not at the whim of an idiot on the other side of the world.

So if you attempt another attack on the United States because you think we've become complacent and so self-involved that we won't notice, don't be surprised when an entire nation utters the new battle cry, "Let's Roll."

Don't ever forget 9/11, the day that America became an adult.