| Yes, there is a frivolous quality to a lot of it. My wife was in her office in Washington during 9/11, a few blocks from the White House. My sister- in- law was not too far away. We did not know if there would be further attacks, or terrible accidents caused by panic, or what would happen. For quite awhile thereafter, troops were stationed downtown, although they left after a few weeks. Every major event, from the lighting of the National Christmas tree to the fireworks display at the Washington Monument to the Cherry Blossom Parade, we have prayed there would not be another act of terrorism. And yet we moved closer to Washington, as it happened in the area where the snipers first began targeting people. (One of the first deaths was about a half mile away from my house). And yet each day we would get up, go work, run errands, send our son off to school, and hope for the best, not knowing if it were terrorism or a nut, nor when it would stop. Yet I have been called a coward for relying upon my government to do its job, in the hope of improving national security, rather than sitting around belittling and second guessing at every turn, like someone I imagine as a tinpot Napoleon in a barca lounger. I have been accused of being a true believer because I do not assume that the Bush Administration is either depraved or incompetent, and do not find the evidence of major malfeasance compelling so far. Today I was called a "fundamentalist", although the person would not explain what in the hell he meant when I requested it. But I am not supposed to find my patience tried by such nonsense, and now I am not supposed to find alarming the readiness with which some Germans will believe the absolute worst of this Administration........ |
