The September 11 attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,977 victims. The victims included 246 on the four planes, 2,606 in New York City in the World Trade Center towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon. Nearly all of the victims were civilians. One was an employee of my company.
Make a few minutes today to remember those 2,977 lives lost directly, and the thousands more as a result of the subsequent military actions. Thousands more Americans were killed in Afghanistan to attack the perpetrators of 9-11.
Make a few more minutes to think about how our country has eroded some of it’s citizens’ civil liberties as a response to the threats, real or perceived, that come from terrorism. The NSA spying scandal, the TSA procedures at the airport, the militarization of our police forces, any many other negatives have spilled into America culture as a result of those 9-11 attacks. Think about how the Ferguson police force ended up with those tanks and surplus military equipment.