America Feels Safe Again

On Friday, President Obama and the first lady will observe a minute of silence on the White House lawn, as they do every year.

On Thursday, Obama extended the national declaration of emergency for another year. The White House statement read, “The terrorist threat that led to the declaration on Sept. 11, 2001, of a national emergency continues. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect after Sept. 11, 2015, the national emergency with respect to the terrorist threat.” In schools, students will routinely stand and observe a minute of silence. In government offices, all work will cease for one minute. America as usual.

Sept. 11, 2001, “9/11,” belongs to the collective American consciousness like Vietnam, the attack on Pearl Harbor and the abolition of slavery by Abraham Lincoln. Like other historic events, it caused a basic change in the nation.

But now that even the new World Trade Center has opened, the day has been integrated into the history books. That, despite the fact that the terror networks that have followed al-Qaida have spread globally. Despite the fact that an even ghastlier Islamic terrorist state has been declared and is sending its warriors out into the world.

Syria Is Far Distant

Generally speaking, the terror Osama bin Laden unleashed on America isn’t associated with the Islamic State by the American people. The Americans apparently now feel relatively secure. Just as they did prior to 9/11. After all, 9/11 was a long time ago and Syria is far, far away.

Since the shock in 2001, American isolationism has again taken root in the United States. That’s why Obama was elected in 2008. Even if the United States concludes trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trade pacts and Obama presents his nation as a cooperative partner, the Americans look on the European refugee crisis as if it were playing out on another planet.

Ukraine is seen by American eyes as strictly a European problem and the jihadis rage across Syria, but they’re headed north. That’s fine. Until the next attack reactivates the trauma of 9/11.