Today is the anniversary of the attacks of 2001 and I am not going to rehash the events of that day. Thousands of other blogs and the media are taking care of that today. What I want to remember are the days and weeks that followed the horrible day.

The days after the attacks saw this country coming together as I had never seen before. People were kind to each other, helpful and considerate. People you did not know smiled and said hello. The day after the attack, the leaders of the Democrat the Republican party made a joint announcement of funds allocated towards the country’s security, and they had their arms around each other as they spoke to the press.  The radio constantly played “Proud to be and American”, and we all sang along. Most of us bought the single. People flew the American flag on their cars, and in their yards. People were being human, and despite the terror, there was a certain peace and love and coming together.

Alas, nine years later, the country is deeply divided. The republicans blame the democrats for everything and vice versa, and the Tea Party blames everybody. People no longer smile. Everybody is angry. Nobody is kind to each other again. Instead of letting you out into traffic, people actually rush to block you.

Where has that peace gone? As awful as that time was, there was still a peace about people, and a love that we all shared. Now, time has passed, and that feeling of peace and love has faded. It has now be replaced with anger.  We live in fear. We see everyone as a threat. I can’t get on a plane with a bottle of water or without taking my shoes off on a filthy airport carpet.  Anyone with a middle eastern look about them with a back pack on their shoulder is a potential bomber. We see a package at the side of the road unattended, and we don’t look to see if someone lost something. We call the bomb squad.  As much as we say that we are fighting the was on terrorism, and that we are winning, the truth of the matter is, they have won. The American way of life as we know it, carefree and worry free has ended.