Our View
By HDN Editorial Board
Three months ago today, we woke up to the unimaginable sight of commercial airliners crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. We held our breath every time CNN spoke of another late-breaking development. Our sense of security collapsed with the twin towers on Sept. 11. Our shock quickly turned to grief as countless heroic firefighters and police officers sacrificed their lives. The day seemed it would never end.
The anthrax deaths came next to further test our resolve.
The architects of the terror thought our diversity and different ideologies would cause our way of life to collapse. However, our country united.
The armed forces quickly set up a perimeter around our country, and started the process of restoring that lost sense of security. The nation's law enforcement and security services rounded up suspected terrorists inside our borders. The nation rallied to offer aid to the victims' families and honored the heroes of the day.
The president talked about justice for the perpetrators and sent our military off to administer it. President Bush built a worldwide coalition against terrorism. He let the world know that our war is not with Islam, but with those responsible for terror. The military quickly disposed of the Taliban and set its sights on al-Qaida.
The president instilled a sense of calm in the days that followed as he urged us to go back to life as normal. He encouraged us to fly again or take in a ballgame.
The country needs to get back to normal, and normal means a government made up of three equal branches. A judicial branch that gives those detained due process, and tries those charged in an open court of their peers. A legislative branch that debates bills designed to stimulate the economy, guarantee national security, or whatever else is before them, without trampling on the Bill of Rights. Balanced with an executive branch that provides leadership and does not overstep its intended bounds. Questions, different views, debate among political parties and branches of the government is not unpatriotic, but a healthy sign of getting back to normal.
