Here we are, 5 years after the Box Cutter Attack.

[Philosoraptor]

How do you feel, 5 years later? Does it lay heavy on your mind after all this time? Has the shock worn off? Did you get over it?

How are you different now, 5 years after, have you gained new insights, do you feel the same way you did before nine eleven?

What emotions are you experiencing? How often does the emotion of fear affect you?

Are you angrier? Are you despondent? Has your resolve strengthened or waned?

Are you more politically minded? Do you see America as the same place it used to be, or is it becoming a place you don't recognize?

Just curious.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[ixion]

2. before I was a pessimistic optimist... now I'm just cynical

:-(

You know what? I cherish my FREEDOM far more than I fear getting capped by a terrorist.

There is nothing to fear, save for what we create in our own minds to fear.

[cigsandcoffee]

3. I'm still pissed off, for one.

I doubt I'll ever get over that.

[MindPilot]

4. The attack itself was traumatic. But how the attack has been used

to increase and centralize government power is far more disturbing. After five years of that, I am deeply cynical and I harbor an visceral distrust of anything that even looks like authority. I'm now at the why-even-bother? level.

edit: typo

[htuttle]

5. I've never been so disappointed in my fellow Americans

What a weak-kneed, easily cowed bunch most of us are. If most of us had to go through half the hardships (and terror) that our recent ancestors did, we'd fall to pieces in a quivering mass of polyester and cheap beer...

I'd say disappointment would be the best description of my "political feelings" the last few years.

[OnionPatch]

9. Your answer mirrors my own

9-11 was horrible. But disappointment is the sum of my feelings far more than fear or rage. Disappointment that my fellow Americans stood up for this national test....and failed miserably.

[MindPilot]

11. Yes. I'm really disgusted with the way we seem to actually enjoy

living in fear. It seems to me that since--by definition--the purpose of terrorism is to inculcate a population with fear, the proper response to terrorists who supposedly "hate us for our freedoms" would be to thumb our collective noses at them by exercising those freedoms as blatantly as possible. Instead we turn into a National Security state and beg for our Keystone Kops government to save us.

edit: typo

[graywarrior]

6. My first thought when we got attacked: Shit, Bush is in charge.

My thoughts today: Shit, Bush is in charge.

[tenshi816]

15. This probably sounds strange,

but on 9/11 Bush didn't cross my mind until several hours later, when I thought "where's the president hiding and why hasn't he made a statement yet".

Now: Shit, Bush is in charge.

[Historic NY]

7. 5yrs no Osama, and billions of dollars.......

thrown out to see what sticks in providing safety. The terra terra alert colors & warning have now given away to cordinated TV news releases. Yes sir folks, keep your nail clippers, nasal hair cutters, the new killers are liquids that when mixed together can explode. We need to beware of Arab looking males getting together to have a group bathroom call. :banghead:

[Imperialism Inc.]

8. I refuse to be terrorized.

Not by terrorists nor by those in my own government who like to use such events for political purposes.

I am far more frightened by how easy it has been to establish a quasi police state.

[Avalux]

10. I am not afraid. I'm tired of being TOLD to be afraid.

I'm not implying there aren't bad people out there wanting to kill us, I'm just saying I'm tired of it being in my face all the time and our government (along with the media) using fear for political gain and to cover up their own incompetence and illegal acts. The tragedy of 9/11 has been exploited and used by these bastards for far too long.

I will live my life and will not be afraid. If I get killed by a terrorist act, so be it.

[Philosoraptor]

12. Fear is the key to your soul

F for Fascism. F for Fear. V for Vendatta.

[Avalux]

13. Is there a breaking point?

I wondered this while I had CNN on in the background this morning. Every single report was some sort of "booga booga" scary stuff - I just laugh and shake my head anymore. But I'm wondering if the American people, as a group, will reach overload. Having this stuff pounded into our heads day after day, won't it get to the point where people just tune it out and say "fuck it" and it won't have an effect anymore? I have to hope it's possible.

[Philosoraptor]

14. Its tempting to just say, "screw it all"

And there is a desire to tune this shit out just because nobody even wants to think about it any more, and they're just tired of hearing it.