December 7th has lived in infamy for America and the world. As I think about this day and its historical significance, I am reminded of another day with similar infamous qualities, September 11th.
Both days involved mass death on American soil at the hands of an enemy. But it seems that is where the similarity ends.
December 7th produced a resolute and united American society. President Roosevelt asked for great sacrifices from every American and they were given.
September 11th produced an American society ready for the same commitment and leadership. President Bush asked America to go shopping.
Too many Americans sacrificed their brains while they shopped. When George Bush lied and said there was a connection between Iraq, Saddam Hussein and al Quaeda, America shopped. When George Bush adopted his insane preemptive war doctrine, America shopped. When George Bush told America that the Iraq mission was accomplished, America shopped. When George Bush hid behind his war to repeatedly trash the constitution he swore to uphold, America shopped. When George Bush authorized illegal government wiretaps, renditions to secret prisons and torture of prisoners, America shopped.
9/11 America sacrificed nothing compared to their 12/7 grandfathers and grandmothers. 9/11 America shopped while nearly 3000 young men and women from their country sacrificed their lives for a lie. 9/11 America shopped while 10,000+ more young women and men had their bodies carved up by weapons of war. And, 9/11 America shopped while 600,000+ men, women and children were slaughtered in Iraq.
Congressman Charles Rangel of New York recently suggested that we reinstitute the draft and behave like a nation at war. I understand his point. We have a country with a military at war and a society at Walmart for the early bird specials on Black Friday.
Will a draft change this mindset? There are no guarantees. However, I know that humans regularly act in their own self-interest. Self-interest is why people get up at 3 AM to go Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving.
An America filled with many more parents and grandparents concerned about the life and death of every draft-eligible child or grandchild might spend more time thinking about the real consequences of turning America over to George Bush and Karl Rove than it would about the latest sale on plasma televisions. That way we won't have to wait for a hurricane, a brain-dead woman named Terri Schiavo and a predatory congressman to make them wake up and see they have a petulant momma's boy in the oval office who is about ready to drive the country off a cliff unless they reign him in with a new congress. Maybe that is the kind of sacrifice needed in this new century with a million more distractions than existed on December 7, 1941.
I don't know what it takes to keep a democracy awake. All I know is that 9/11 America was far too willing to sleep while it shopped.
So, especially on a day like today, Americans should give up a moment to think about the real sacrifices being made by the men, women and children ensnared in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. If they do, then its possible that they might begin to understand the kind of consistent daily sacrifices that they need to make to keep this country and the fate of its citizens from the clutches of another imbecile president, even when there is a huge sale on underwear at Shopko.
Crossposted at DICTA