Well, today marks the second anniversary of the September 11th attacks. I bet you weren’t aware of that, seeing as the media so often underplays that footage…and there is practically no commemorative spam…lol.

I just got a CNN Breaking News message that says “[the] State Department warns of “increased indications” that al Qaeda is preparing attacks on U.S. interests to coincide with 9/11 anniversary.” What the hell does “increased indications” mean? How much longer is the government going to keep Americans in a state of fear?

Excuse me if I rant a little bit, but it is fear of EVERYTHING that makes yanks so utterly irrational. They are afraid of everything that might happen — and nothing that *does* happen.

For example, did you know that 38% of children in America, or 27 million kids, live in a low income family? Of those, over 12 million live in poverty, and over 5 million live in extreme poverty. That’s more alarming than ‘increased indications’ of an al Qaeda attack.

Did you know that heart disease is America’s biggest killer? Did you know that lung cancer is the second? And did you know that the number one disease affecting children is asthma? Did you know that there is a causal link between air pollution and all of these chronic diseases? And did you know that Bush and Cheney have an interest in companies that are responsible for massive amounts of pollution?

Oil companies are the largest industrial source of volatile organic compounds (which lead to ozone smog), the second largest industrial source of sulfur dioxide (which is transformed into dangerous fine particles and acid rain) and the third largest industrial source of nitrogen oxides (another smog- forming pollutant). Oil refineries also emit large amounts of toxic air pollutants — more than 58 million pounds in 1997.

Healthcare funding has been cut, which makes things even worse for those who suffer illnesses as a result of pollution. Why aren’t people angry or scared about this?

Military spending is at an all time high. It has been legitimised by the periodic releases of terror alerts, each getting more and more vague. Keep them scared…keep them frightened about things that will be unlikely to affect them…so that they don’t have time to think about the things that do.

“Increased indications” of a terrorist attack. Just look at that phrase. That’s the BEST they can do. Coincidentally, it came out just as people were starting to doubt the success of the war on Iraq. Just as Bush’ popularity is declining. Just as domestic issues, like the environment and health care, are slowly making their way back onto the agenda…what happens? The anniversary of September 11. That hotbed of grief, injustice and terror that is still fresh in most people’s minds.

But, we need to put it in perspective. It happened. It was horrible. And it does represent people’s worst fears. However, it gets to the point where the government starts to use it as a tool to manipulate the public. They manipulate the grief, anxiety and shock to further their own morally corrupt agendas. And, worse than that, to criticise them means that you are un-American, or anti-American (as I have been called a fair few times *g*).

I am not saying ‘get over it’ to Americans. But I am saying that you shouldn’t let a group of corrupt, wealthy, and very greedy men use the memory to manipulate public opinion and further their own agendas.

Start holding them accountable. Demand quality healthcare. Demand clean air. Sure, there is a slightly increased risk of a terrorist attack, and yes, someone might kill you. That is, if the air you breathe doesn’t kill you first.

We need to get our fears into perspective. We need to realise that being hit by a bus is more likely than being on a bus with a suicide bomber. And that you are more likely to die from the”food” you ingest than from anthrax.

And most of all, you need to get that oaf out of power before we’re all wiped off the face of the earth