9/11 - Where are we now?

I'm including this link to Michael Moore's latest open letter to George Bush. http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=185
I think there is a ton of truth in it. Many of you may have seen it already if you are on his emailing list.

I don't feel safer.
I went to Europe back in the 80's. Most of the trip was wonderful.
There was a little French pension, though, that wasn't wonderful. We were almost booked in, when the proprietor heard me whisper a question to my friend (she who was taught French by an Englishman). Suddenly there was no room.

I was brought up short by the 'Ugly American' syndrome.
I can not imagine what others must think of us now.

I have read blog posts since Katrina that let me know the depth of the international hearts for our people - for the families and individuals - who are affected by this disaster. And I've read the ones (and the news reports) that spoke of the offers of aid that sat waiting. Why was that, do you think? Waiting for what?

I still live in America. I have more opportunities here than most of the people in the rest of the world. I am delighted to live here and not in a country where I would be considered property and not worthy of education, etc. And even when I have to stretch the budget to pay for $3 gas, I still have a LOT more 'stuff' - more than others, more than I really need.

What concerns me is the culture that we have built in America (don't know enough about other places to comment on them). A culture of money and acquisition. The 'haves' are our successes; the 'have-nots' (or the 'have-less') are our failures. We bought into all of this and then went to sleep, or got lazy and stopped paying attention to what was happening to us in our governments at all levels.

So now we have what we have. And it's scary to me. And I bear some responsibility because I didn't fight the soporific of consumerism that put us all to sleep and messed up our values.
In case you haven't noticed, we no longer value honor, truth, charity, happiness, or freedom.
We reward division, greed, manipulation, etc.

I'm sad this morning. It's Sept. 11, 2005 and I think my country, as a nation, has taken some giant steps backwards. What a waste of talent, resources, lives...dreams...
We're left today to remember that disaster and the way our government came together - then we can turn on the TV and see what's happening in the South after Katrina.

Something's wrong, America. Something is really and truly wrong! And it's not about Republican vs Democrat, really. I think it is about a nation asleep while the wolves steal the country and pen up the sheep. And the world watches...