The Eleventh is the Tenth

The attack. I watched it on TV at work with everyone else.

Every post out there today will mention 9-11. Mine won't be any different, except I haven't anything to contribute to the topic. I have only personal reflections and stock photos from the internet.

I don't personally know anyone who died on September 11, 2001 due to the terrorist attack on the United States of America. We had engineers from my company on United Airlines Flight 93. I didn't know them.

I don't know the attackers, either. I am greatly saddened that a group of people from another country would hate Americans so much they attacked random people for revenge. And revenge isn't even the right word, is it? Revenge has a personal motive against a personal target. I can't really get my head around it.

Five days later, and the effect lasts forever

Years ago I was in a training class. The instructor went around the room and asked the same question "Who is your customer?" Everyone said "Quality Assurance," "The Control Board," etc, etc. I had more time to think and when he asked me I answered - a person's name. My customer is a person, not a group. It isn't random. In life, everything is personal.

So I can't really wrap my brain around the hatred toward Americans. Are we (as a group) proud and stubborn and sometimes obnoxious? Sure, in the group there are many people like that. I don't usually associate with them, though. They annoy me and I don't need that aggravation at my age. The people I know are usually kind and thoughtful and go out of their way to be helpful. Occasionally even one of my friends has a bad day and gets angry or stubborn or obnoxious. Here's a bulletin. I do too.

We (the United States) has a bad reputation overseas. I don't understand that either. My church sends aid to almost every foreign disaster that occurs. Even as a group the US donates more charity to other countries than anyone else. And we're hated for it?

But then I step back. We aren't alone. There are groups of people out there who dedicate their resources to terrorist attacks world-wide. On 9-11 the United States was the target.

And our world changed forever.

The few weeks after 9-11 brought out some great qualities in the people in this country. Flags waved, people helped people. There seemed to be more kindness in the world, at least that's the way it seemed to me. I saw the slogan "We will never forget!" on bumper stickers.

But we forgot, didn't we? We'd rather watch our country spiral into financial and emotional turmoil than band together as brothers.

Well, I haven't forgotten. I love this country, the principles which founded this country. I'm not sure I see these principles enacted any longer in our government, and that makes me sad. I'm ranting now, but it's a quiet and sad rant, aimed at no one in particular.

And buildings will not fall because of me.

Fascinating, but not a conspiracy