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December 31, 2009
Exclusive: The 21st Century, Chapter Two
If the 20th century was truly “The American Century,” what will be said of the 21st century?
For the United States, the 21st century – more than any other moment in our history since the War of 1812 – demonstrated our vulnerability to external forces. Even Pearl Harbor and World War II did not have the lasting effect or profound imprimatur as 9/11, and with it the realization that terrorism, not scientific breakthroughs or an era of new art or the emergence of profoundly novel genres of literature, has become the defining issue of the 21st century, overshadowing all other issue save, perhaps the economy. And they are inextricably intertwined. Ine of those intertwined symbols is the World Trade Center; eight years after 9/11 and we still can’t rebuild even one tall building? Symbols are important. Perhaps we can get the job done in 2010 or 2011.
“Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana
The events of the last decade – tragic ones such as the London, Madrid and Bali bombings, 9/11 and the Mumbai attacks, disastrous ones such as the financial, manufacturing and dollar collapse, duplicity from the likes of fraudulent business people such as Bernie Madoff and natural disasters such as the 2004–2005 season of hurricanes including Katrina’s devastating impact upon New Orleans, and even emerging pathogens such as avian and swine flu – were predictable. They had their start in earlier times; we ignored the warnings. For example, in 1993, the U.S. received its first taste of terrorism on home shores – we underestimated our adversary, ignored the warnings and in the process set the stage for 9/11. And we’re doing it again. Russia has reemerged, as has China. Did we wake up too late? Last week’s Christmas terrorist threat involving a flight from the Netherlands to the U.S. illustrated how far we have gone backwards in homeland security in just one year. Relying upon the poor bladder control or stupidity of a would-be terrorist is not the best strategy to protect the country. When will we learn or relearn?
“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” – White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel
Dramatic events have multiple effects. They can catalyze us into positive action or create a void for ambitious people to step in and make drastic, even dangerous changes that are poorly vetted; think the new health care bill, or the trillion dollar bail outs designed to stimulate the economy but with little hope of doing so, to other quickly cobbled together legislation a la crisis management. As a result, the United States is heading towards socialism. But there is something far more insidious – it is the dependency mindset that is being inculcated amidst the population; the concept that the government should take care of us instead of we taking the appropriate steps to care for ourselves. The greatest challenge of the second decade will be to reinvigorate the spirit of independence and self sufficiency.
Time Magazine may have gone somewhat over the top naming the first 10 years of the 21st century as the worst decade ever. Before we reach for the antidepressants, let’s put things into context. While we’ll continue to face some daunting challenges in the year 2010, the U.S. managed to become the preeminent nation in the 20th century, creating one of the highest standards of living for any nation in the world. And that was in spite of two world wars, the Depression, a major pandemic, lack of decent medical care, women who had yet to achieve the right to vote, rampant racism, disparities in education and wealth, child labor, and the list goes on and on. In this century medical breakthroughs and miraculous events occurred, including Miracle on the Hudson, courtesy of Capt. Sully. Compared to 1900, we started this century with tremendous medical and science achievements; the sky is not falling even though our highest hopes and expectations for the 21st century may have experienced setbacks. But we need to get serious about some issues that, if unchecked, will lead us down the path to “America, the late great nation.”
Whether a new year, new decade, new century or new millennium, newness always seems to be accompanied by the promise or at least hope for better times ahead. How often do we make our annual “new year’s resolution?” But like the rites of spring, the act of “resolutions” may not be mere folly, nor should they be viewed as such. Often, a resolution is a bridge from where we are to where we would like to be; the important and often overlooked act of self examination.
If we want the second decade to be better than the first, the U.S. MUST:
1. Fix our government oversight agencies, especially Homeland Security, including replacing Secretary Napolitano.
2. Stop the stupidity of moving terrorists from Gitmo to the mainland U.S. A trial in NYC puts a gigantic target on the city.
3. Address our energy needs of today and tomorrow in a multi-pronged approach, starting with the exploration for Arctic Oil.
4. Assume a greater leadership role with IAEA; left to their own devices, more nations will go nuclear.
5. Start building things again!
6. Protect U.S. industries through more advantageous trade and currency policies.
7. Get a map and plot Russia’s areas of interest and counter or exploit them.
8. Stop the political correctness in terms of radicalization and Jihad. Profiling and tracking people of interest is critical and good police work. It is practical, not racial.
9. Start supporting Israel again. That tiny nation is the frontier and forward outpost in the Jihad wars.
10. Follow the dollar! Hold recipients of bail out dollars accountable, starting with “encouraging” them to invest in the U.S. – American workers, buildings and enterprise. If you receive bail out dollars, you don’t get to outsource in China, India or elsewhere without a substantial investment in the U.S. first.
Discussion
In an article appearing in the December 29, 1900 issue of the New York World, an insightful thought appeared…“when the last week of the year is also the last week of the century and when anticipation is free to extend itself along the limitless vista of the coming 100 years, we all become, instinctively and irresistibly 20th century prophets. Nobody is thinking anything else by now.” According to the Philadelphia Press, “possibilities seemed like dreams of paradise.”
Were those thoughts representative of us a mere nine years ago?
New Years for most of us seems to be a time when somehow the troubles, disappointments or dreams unrealized of the prior year are transformed magically in that ethereal moment between 11:59 p.m. December 31st and 12:00 a.m. January 1st. It is nice to imagine that the challenges of the past get expunged at the stroke of midnight; but as adults are to childhood, we come to realize Santa, like the New Year is largely symbolic. The presents under the tree are from hard work, not elves in a workshop.
Conclusion
There are numerous challenges that we face – from abroad and from within. Some will require a change in our political leadership, others a change in our worldview, others a greater appreciation of the threats facing us and a greater resolve to take the necessary steps to put the nation back on a proper footing. The future, like the fate of the U.S. is largely in all of our hands collectively.
The 21st century can still be a century of hope, and another American Century. Let not the events of the first decade darken the expectations for a better world in the second decade. But we have lost our way. Can we find it in time? It is one thing to make a mistake, it is quite another to repeat it over and over again. Yet that is precisely what we are doing in homeland security, the economy, with health care, in local politics, in international negotiations, taxation policies and in our trade deals. The 21st century, Chapter Two – What have we learned that will make the second decade better than the first?
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Dr. Robin McFee is a physician and medical toxicologist. An expert in WMD preparedness, she is a consultant to government agencies, corporations and the media. Dr. McFee is the former director and cofounder of the Center for Bioterrorism Preparedness (CB PREP) and was bioweapons-science advisor to the Regional Domestic Security Task Force Region 7 after 9/11, as well as advisor on avian and swine flu preparedness to numerous agencies and organizations. Dr. McFee is a member of the Global Terrorism, Political Instability and International Crime Council of ASIS International. She has authored numerous articles on terrorism, health care and preparedness, and c-oauthored two books: Toxico-terrorism by McGraw-Hill and The Handbook of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Agents, published by Informa/CRC Press.
Reader Comments: Submit Your Comment (1) | Sign Up for FSM Updates!
Allow me to add to the wish list:
11. That our leaders develop an agency similar to HUAC to purge the radical Marxists and deviant perverts from academia, the education system and the judiciary.
Congratulations to Ms. McFee on a very articulate piece that eloquently express her commendable intellect.
posted by: Philip
Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 03:09 PM
