The Next September 11

I don’t generally post about politics on this blog, but September 11 seems an appropriate time.

Today is the third anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, but I want to talk about the next September 11. I don’t mean the fourth anniversary, and I don’t quite mean the next major terrorist attack on the United States. I mean the next terrorist attack of unprecedented magnitude, the kind of attack that makes September 11 seem like September 10.

Such an attack would probably involve nuclear or biological weapons, and would probably have at least tens or hundreds of thousands of casualties.

Think about that for a minute. Imagine a nuclear bomb, even a small one, detonating in New York City or Chicago or Los Angeles. Imagine a deadly disease being released in Las Vegas, and then spreading from there.

Now, imagine the American public’s reaction to that.

If you think the PATRIOT Act is destroying civil liberties, imagine what we’ll get after the next September 11.

If you think giving extra scrutiny to airline passengers of Middle East origin is a violation of human rights, imagine what will happen to Arab-Americans after the next September 11.

If you think America is out of control, invading other countries without proper regard for international opinion, imagine who we’ll invade after the next September 11.

If you think the right to dissent is being crushed in America, imagine what will happen to anyone perceived as sympathizing with the terrorists after the next September 11.

If in any way you think America has overreacted to the first September 11, imagine how we will overreact after the next September 11.

Is the kind of America we’ll have after the next September 11 the kind of America you would want to live in? Is the kind of world we’ll have after the next September 11 the kind of world you would want to live in?

If not, then perhaps it’s time you gave a little leeway to those who are trying to prevent the next September 11.