The first priority must be to grieve our lost relatives and fellow citizens. Recovering from the economic damages and restoring our national security system are also high priorities. But we should not allow fear and anger to overcome our hope and attachment to the ideal of freedom.
The building momentum for a crusade against terrorism is frightening. The universal HEADLINE "Attack Against America" is counterproductive. The obvious responce to such a headline is that "America" should counterattack. This attack was against humanity, not just America. The targets, NY and Washington, are the financial capital and the military stronghold of the free world. The response must be global. While it is right that we find and punish the allies of the terrorists responsible for the suicide missions on 9/11/2001, it is irresponsible to imagine that we can identify and eliminate all terrorists everywhere in the world.
In the long term the world needs a stronger peace even if in the short term war may be inevitable. Calls to diminish civil liberties should be resisted and instead we should enhance the civil liberties of the global community. As Americans we need to:
make a new commitment to education of Americans as global citizens.
come together to wage a vigorous concerted effort to accomplish a purpose, PEACE.
work together to campaign for ideological and political freedoms.
I do not disagree with the Office of Homeland Security created by the President to oversee and coordinate domestic efforts to prevent terrorist actions, But my heart and brain both tell me that we also need an Office of Global Cooperation to initiate and coordinate international efforts to institute and promote individual freedom and non-violent conflict resolution.
Real peace is the only true security. The antidote to force and violence is not more force and violence, it is vital energy and love. With an active commitment to global peace and prosperity we can realize vast improvement of educational, economic, legal, political, and communications systems.
