Not surprisingly, it is difficult to see much good coming out of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
It is suggested that the attacks "brought America together," but the image of New York police and fireman at ground zero throwing punches at one another a month after the attack might suggest otherwise. If there is any new national unity, it is certainly not the bond of common purpose and sacrifice that characterized World War II, but rather a superficial one of flags and xenophobia. Those of us who are critics of the government or are of Middle Eastern origin have experienced America coming together all right - to attempt to silence or arrest us.
The wake-up call delivered to America regarding its position and vulnerability in the world was certainly a positive development, but it does not seem to have brought greater enlightenment to our foreign policies, and the secretary of defense cites the terrorist threat as yet another reason to build a missile defense shield, a curious bit of logic. At least most Americans are now vaguely aware of Islam and the existence of the rest of the planet, and it must be presumed that President Bush now knows where Pakistan and Afghanistan are on the map.
In every other regard Sept. 11 was a disaster for our nation. Some 3,000 people were murdered, two architectural marvels were destroyed (though some architects and planners suggest this is a good thing) and Rudy Giuliani became Man of the Year.
Far worse, the proclamation of the war on terrorism has provided a U.S. supported excuse to every government that wishes to suppress some group: simply declare them terrorists. Most especially, Russia, China, India and Israel now have the green light to do anything they please to Chechins, west China Muslims, Kashmiris and Palestinians on the grounds that they are all terrorists. "Terrorist" has clearly replaced "communist" as the label that every oppressive regime in the world must now affix to any one or any group it wishes to destroy with American approval.
As many are beginning to realize, however, the most appalling result of the attacks a year ago is the progressive undermining of our Constitution and civil liberties in the name of security. Hitler had to burn down the Reichstag as an excuse to curtail German liberties and assume more personal power; the Cheney administration was handed an excuse by the terrorists, who provided our befuddled president the means to an image and popularity far out of proportion to his actual talents. Aided generally by Congress and supported, sadly, by many Americans, the administration has used the terrorist threat and national security to justify a massive increase in government authority, particularly in the executive branch, and a growing assault on civil rights.
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To be fair, a Democratic administration would be acting in a similar fashion, inasmuch as the defense and expansion of its power and a penchant for secrecy are after all characteristic of any government. But the Cheney administration is particularly overt and vile in this regard, breaking all previous records for keeping the American public and even Congress uniformed. The attorney general, a religious extremist who makes even John Mitchell look attractive, has openly declared that criticism of the government (or at least the executive branch) is akin to treason and is busy subverting the Constitution he is sworn to defend by circumventing due process for "enemies of the state," including American citizens and by proposing we set up concentration camps. He urges us all to spy on one another and has made it clear that Justice (or at least her breasts) is obscene.
Meanwhile, the Immigration and Naturalization Services is completely out of control, detaining and holding people without charges, denying them access to counsel and justifying its actions on the basis of "evidence" that is held secret even from the accused. The government is now debating and about to create a new super-department of Homeland Security, whose very name strikes fear into anyone familiar with 20th century history.
And the president asserts that he can wage war without reference to Congress or the American people because his lawyers told him he could! Temporary expedient measures for the war on terrorism? Hardly. Unless they are compelled by the people, governments, whatever their nature, simply do not give up powers they gain.
Particularly sad is how many Americans support this steady erosion of their freedoms, even asking for more limits, all in the name of some elusive security (and, I suspect, cheap gasoline). It has become an unheeded clichÇ, but Benjamin Franklin (famous government critic and traitor) was absolutely right when he stated that those who sacrifice liberty for security will end up with neither.
For all the pronouncements of self-serving politicians and a myopic media it can hardly be said that the events of Sept. 11 "changed the world." However much of an impact they may have had on us, in the great span of world or even western history the terrorist attacks are of very minor importance. Even in the course of American affairs they hardly match in importance dozens of other events in our history - unless of course they mark the moment America began her slide into authoritarianism and oppression and became indistinguishable from those who would destroy her.
Those of us who love the Constitution surely hope not.
by Richard M. Berthold
Daily Lobo Columnist
