Fear

Yesterday marked the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Today, outside of the San Jose Mineta Airport, the threat level warning reads Elevated-- for significant risks of terrorist attack. Since 9/11 we have been in constant awareness of the fragility of our nations security. We have slept with one eye open, and we have vowed to never forget. We have allowed our leaders to strip us of our basic freedoms, namely the right to privacy, all in the hope of keeping the eminent threat of terrorism at bay.

Fear is the most basic of survival methods. Fear is what keeps us safe. However, fear when used by a political authority can cripple a nation and bring the masses to their knees. In ancient Greece, Athens used the threat of a Persian attack to secure its authority over neighboring tribes. Hitler during WW2 used fear and paranoia as the driving force behind the slaughter and imprisonment of millions of innocent civilians. Today, fear has made us paranoid of luggage, suspicious of our neighbors, and hateful of people different than us.

I do not mean to minimize anyone's personal response to the attack. Everyone was a victim of 9/11, we were all violated, and we were all threatened. But, there comes a time when we need to stand and face our fears, when we must say that enough is enough. This is not about forgetting, it is about forgiving. We should honor those that have died by promoting peace. We should unite as brothers and sisters, as one nation, and put aside our religious differences if only for a second to reflect on our common humanity. Let us not let fear and hate reign over our lives. Instead, let us allow peace to live in our hearts.

Words of the Week

Onus: Used to refer to something that is one's duty or responsibility

Ken: One's range of knowledge or sight.