How important is it to remember 9/11/01? Is it just history or does it affect us even to this day? I believe, these are questions we all must ask ourselves. For those who have difficulty finding the answers to these questions, consider how much has happened since that day and in the name of that day. You may find, that horrific day didn’t just end at the death of 2,973 U.S. citizens, as tragic as that may be.

Since then, the toxic dust which New Yorkers were told was “safe and acceptable” by Former Mayor Giulani, has resulted in several deaths and serious lung problems including cancer. In fact, a federal judge ruled that former EPA director Christine Todd Whitman had misled residents and rescuers when she pronounced that the air quality in lower Manhattan met safety standards and necessitated neither a surgical mask nor a respirator. She claims under oath that she did this under the urgency of our federal government to get Wall Street and the economy up and running again and because Giuliani did not want New York to be seen as unsafe by a bunch of people wearing masks or hazmat suits.

In other words, our government was more concerned about money than about additional lives. Because of this, people like Felix Hernandez, Tim Keller, Deborah Reeve, James Zadroga, James Godbee, Felicia Dunn-Jones and their families have become additional victims of 9/11.

Since then, we have gone to war in Iraq, very simply based on the “threat” of another 9/11 terror attack. In fact, we have now lost more of our citizens to the war in Iraq than in the original 9/11 attack. Kind of defeats the purpose given, if you think about it.

So, let’s think about it. Let’s think about how 9/11 has changed the lives of U.S. citizens, the law and our government. Let’s think about how living in terror actually defeats the purpose of freedom and gives our enemies the upper hand. Let’s consider how we now have the Patriot Act in place has changed and will continue to change how we live. The Patriot Act now forces us (lawful U.S. citizens) to allow:

• Physical searches and spying on U.S. citizens without a warrant and the right to do so without notifying the suspected party.

• Monitoring of both the telephone and internet communications without giving notice or seeking a warrant.

• Arrests solely on the basis of “suspicion” alone, without warrant and without a formal charge.

• Detaining suspicious persons indefinitely and without notice neither publicly nor privately.

• Deportation of legal immigrants for minor violations.

• Carrying out selective prosecutions and racial profiling unchecked.

• Detaining, deporting, and denying fundamental due process rights to lawful immigrants, including the right to legal counsel and public hearings.

• Wire-tapping client confidential communications.

I think the answer is obvious. 9/11/01 is not history, as it is still shaping our lives. I believe it is worth not just remembering but worth thinking about.

This article is dedicated to ALL of the people who lost their lives, livelihoods and loves on 9/11/01.

Please visit :

www.fealgoodfoundation.com/WhoWeAre.html

www.911ea.org/Donation.htm

Lakeport resident Andrea Anderson's mother worked at the World Trade Center, and left the building 20 minutes before the first plane hit, losing many coworkers and friends.

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Written by: Andrea Anderson

Published: 11 September 2007