9/11 -- Five Reflections

9/11
My five reflections.
Yours?

First, remember them.
It has been a hard five years for families who lost their beloveds on September 11, 2001. Remember them. Help them and their families. Care for their children and aging relatives who have lost the loving care of the beloved one. Hold them all dear . . . as if they are your own . . . for they are our own.

Five years in my family.
Five years is a long time. Children have grown to ages nine and six, fourth grade and first grade this year. A new child has come into our hearts -- she's just two -- and an elderly one has passed away. Family, ravaged by Katrina, still struggles. Assaults to our health have been vanquished! Hooray! Sweet friendships endure and partnerships are affirmed; we are happy to enjoy both.

Five years in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Remember the military personnel lost since 2001:
In Iraq- 3356 people
2660 deaths and 19,000 wounded from the United States.
117 from the United Kingdom.
115 from other countries.
In Afghanistan:
333 from the United States.
39 from the United Kingdom.
28 from Canada.
18 from Germany.
18 from Spain.
28 military from other countries.
And civilians?
In Iraq -- 100,000.
In Afghanistan? Hard to find a number.

Five years in the United States.
We ask questions that matter to the power structure. We avoid asking the hard questions. If we so value democracy how do we protect it and ourselves at the same time? Is the USA Patriot Act of 2001 patriotic? Is wiretapping domestic telephone traffic patriotic? Does the Constitution matter? Is torture an act for which we wish to be remembered? Will the U.S. use of torture support and protect our troops? Are we a nation of laws?

Five years from now.
It's a blank slate. What will we write?