10 Years ago today I woke up in the morning astonished as to what I was seeing on the news. I woke up that morning to head to class, it was my senior year of high school. As always I watched the news while getting ready and at first I thought it was an ad for some new movie. Then I watched the second plane crash into Tower 2 live. I collapsed on my bed and yelled to my mom to turn on the TV down stairs. We knew that nothing would be the same, sadly as my dad seemed to be able to do, he called what would happen. A friend of mine nailed the correct response to the question, “Where were you 10 years ago today?” His response, “A more free America.” He’s right, everything has been done in the vain of security but the result has done nothing but destroy the freedoms and liberties we have. My dad was right in his call because after that morning, we have done more damage to ourselves than they ever possibly could. If they hated us for our way of life and freedoms prior to that day, they needed to do nothing more than watch us destroy ourselves. Not even a month before the 9/11 attacks I walked on to a plane carrying my pocket knife. While I was a scout in uniform, I can tell you that A Security Theater would molest me and steal my property today. With DHS deeming us Scouts nothing more than terrorists that are intent on a suicide mission. Sadly though I think that’s the point, none of this has been for security, but instead to destroy the freedoms we had. If the TSA was about security, explain this, this, or this. (I could keep going but you probably get the point.) My dad actually called me to make sure I wasn’t going to run and enlist, he knew exactly what I was feeling. In the end I felt that it would do nothing to help, and it would be far better for me to continue the existing plan of going to the Academy or doing NROTC. I received an appointment to Rice University the following February. I have not forgotten, nor will I ever forget. I have not forgotten what happened that fateful day, nor will I ever forget what America once was and what it should be. This is no longer America. Like JayG I’m still angry. I however am not just angry at the people who perpetrated this attack, but also pissed at my elected representatives who seized on the opportunity to squander away my freedoms and that of my children. Those freedoms are NOT yours to take. Continue reading →