Its been eight years since the 9/11 attacks happened. Seems like so much has happened since then but then again it seems like it was just yesterday. That day will live on forever in the minds and hearts of many Americans. I will never forget where I was when I found out about the attacks. I was a senior in high school and I had just come back from a senior counseling trip. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing not to mention the person who told me was not a credible source. It wasn’t until i heard it on the radio that I realized the magnitude of what happened. Our country was sent into a frenzy in a matter of minutes. Never in a million years did anybody imagine that anything like that could have happened.
So you have to ask yourself what has changed in eight years? What did we learn from 9/11? One thing is for sure airline security is tighter than it ever was. But what else has changed? for the first six months after 9/11 everybody was singing kum-ba-yah and floating on cloud 9. Then reality set back in and we all went back to being our prejudiced, selfish, judgmental selves. We continue to place labels on ourselves and others that divides more and more everyday. if you dont know what labels im talking about then I will give you a few examples: republican, democrat, black, white, christian, muslim, straight, gay, etc. We spend more time fighting about the things we disagree on instead of trying to build on the things that we agree about. We never take the time to actually sit down and talk with someone instead we just judge them from afar. The world would be much better if we would try to understand each other. most importantly as a whole people do not respect each other. When you respect someone you are more likely to listen to them with a open mind and heart. It is my belief that we were all put on this earth to serve a greater purpose. I mean why else would we all be so different? There would be no point of us living if we were all carbon copies of each other. Thomas Paine said it best “I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to to the death your right to say it”. So the next time you decide to label someone before you get to know them. Just don’t….

Now that we know Barack Obama will be this country’s next president we can breathe a little easier or can we? With all the promise and hope that Barack Obama and his political team can offer there is still uneasiness amongst the American people. On November 4th I did cast my vote for the Obama-Biden ticket, but I still wonder how much will they be able to accomplish. Our great country faces many challenges in the upcoming months and years. People must understand that there is no quick fix to problems that we face. Our country is fundamentally flawed. I say this because the economic, social, and environmental issues that we face are as a result of poor decisions made over the last 30 years not just the last eight. Don’t get me wrong, I will be in the line to help George W. Bush move out of the White House, but our problems did not start in the last eight years. President Bush only accelerated our downfall.
The economic problems stem from shipping too many jobs out of the country, the failing auto industry, and mismanaged funds in the private sector. Our dependency on foreign oil has also contributed to our energy crisis. You have to ask yourself: Why do we depend on foreign oil? Why do we still use oil period? The technology has existed for years for automakers to build affordable alternative energy vehicles but it would destroy the big oil industry and thats why in 2008 we can have cell phones that can do everything under the sun but we still use GASOLINE in our cars. What sense does that make? Exactly it doesn’t. Everything that has been done to weaken our nation was done to strengthen those in power.
I will say that significant progress has been made in our country when it comes to race relations, gender issues, and other social issues. Technology also remains one of our country’s biggest assets. I feel that my generation can lead this country into “the new frontier” but there must be a “change” in the way we think. Now is the time that we look toward the future but be aware of the past. It is time to put aside the petty differences in order to move forward. The question is are we willing to do what it takes?

If you are interested in moving this country in the right direction contact me at truwordz@att.blackberry.net