| ody"> | | | | thin." |
| Remember when the Berlin wall came down, and | | | | For America, nothing will ever be the same again. |
| some of us had hoped for world peace? One by one, | | | | Shooting a person who pretends to have a bomb is |
| former Soviet Block countries became democracies | | | | "acceptable." We willingly gave up our rights for |
| and we all hoped for the best. The concept of | | | | tightened security measures. Most Americans could |
| democracy is difficult for anyone who has not lived in | | | | care less about terrorist rights. If you took a poll |
| a free society. Therefore, this is the reason for a | | | | today, most Americans would prefer they be |
| "learning curve" in the upstart democracies of Eastern | | | | executed on the spot. Americans actively boycott |
| Europe and some of the former Soviet republics. | | | | most products that state, "Made in France." |
| In the United States, we hoped for an end to nuclear | | | | The rest of the world is puzzled by this sudden |
| proliferation and a chance to make new friends from | | | | "about face" in the care for human rights. The |
| old adversaries. Some of us also hoped for a Middle | | | | terrorists and our former allies should get a copy of |
| East peace settlement, took an eye off terrorism, | | | | an American history book. We haven't forgotten 911, |
| and "let our guard down." New words were created | | | | and we are not "sheep." Part of our culture is warm |
| like "new world order, global economy, and politically | | | | and loving, while another part of our culture is |
| correct." | | | | decisive, bold, militaristic, and wants immediate |
| We assumed that all of our "allies" were our friends, | | | | retribution. |
| and you could count on them - like they counted on | | | | We know that fundamentalism is an idea, and it |
| you. We thought an "open society" was a good | | | | cannot be "killed off." However, the terrorists didn't |
| concept. We were going to concentrate on domestic | | | | bank on the wrath of the American government and |
| flaws in education and health care. | | | | its people. They should also realize that you cannot kill |
| Then, one September morning, we woke to see a | | | | the concepts of freedom and democracy. |
| different world. When the Twin Towers went down, | | | | The scales have been tipped, and like it or not, blood |
| we saw what some factions feel our lives are worth. | | | | has been drawn. Some of us need to be reminded |
| We saw it, "up close and personal." We saw | | | | that 911 was not a situation that the American |
| Palestinians cheering in the streets, the French | | | | government, or its people, chose, but we cannot |
| government's concept of loyalty, and realized the | | | | afford to forget. |
| British have been our best friends "through thick and | | | | |