Turning point?

Whew. Our narcissistic annual orgy of self-pity, self-importance, and self-righteousness has come to an end once again. Oh sure, I know that's harsh, but let's face it, kids. The time has come to shake ourselves out of this fearful, hypnotic state and look at the fact that "the day that changed everything" changed nothing for the average American citizen.

Except, it seems, our ability to think for ourselves.

The ruling party in this nation has so exploited, so corrupted, so distorted the memory of September 11th that I dread its arrival more each year. I hope that we as a people will seize yesterday's 5th-year mark as a turning point, and resolve from this moment onward to reject the manipulative, neo-con fearmongering to which we've succumbed like mindless children.

I hope that we as Americans will awaken to the sacred importance of our liberties and civil rights, and refuse from this point forward to relinquish those fundamental tenets out of irrational fright or ignorant obedience.

I hope that we as a nation will acknowledge the overwhelming proof that our "leaders" are deceitful, incompetent, and Hell-bent on sticking to a "course" that's simply not working, and pledge from this day onward to demand accountability - and change - with a loud and united voice this November.

That's the way to honor the lessons of 9/11 - and to do all we can to prevent the next 9/11 from happening.