American Tear

On 9-11-2001,
tragedy marred our lives.
Those opposed to the American way of life
struck blows,
killed thousands,
and laid us out flat.

Around the world people mourned
the fall of the Twin Towers
and the other crashes.
Mourned the lives lost in hate and anger.
Only the most radical, or uneducated, celebrated
and did not feel sorrow.

"Terrorists" we labeled them,
people willing to die for their cause,
and take us out with them.
What outrage demanded such a price?
What drove them to make such a loud point?
What had we done so terribly wrong?

Few bothered to ask how we affronted.
Fewer still tried to understand or make peace.
Instead, the government proclaimed, we must protect our freedom
and we cheered them on.
In blind moronic anger,
we hit them back.

As the mass medias fed our fears,
our leaders promised "safety and security,"
then promptly took away as many human rights as they could get away with;
for our own good of course,
so we took it in stride.
"God bless America," we all said as we formed security lines.

Tragedy marred our lives so in pain we began a "Crusade,"
to stomp out the terrorists,
and anyone else who would not, or could not, conform.
The country of my birth is dead,
killed not by terrorists, but by our own hand.
We gave up our freedom when the 21st Century Inquisitions began.

By Michael A. Crane, Jr.
Original Version: October 03, 2001
Version 6: November 19, 2002
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