Year Six

A few days after 9/11, I put up a picture of the Twin Towers on my office door along with some lines from a Jackson Browne song, "The Next Voice You Hear." Six years later, with Ground Zero still an open wound, with no permanent memorial to the victims of United 93, with our country engaged in a losing war in Iraq that was cynically sold to the American public as a patriotic effort, and with Osama bin Laden still free to deliver his messages of hate, I offer the same lyrics in the hope that we will someday find our voice again.

Gather your deeds and your possessions

Whatever certainty you've known

Forget your heroes

You don't really need those last few lessons

Stand in the open

The next voice you hear will be your own

Well alright, they knew how they could hurt you

And you let them cut you to the bone

But god forbid

You allow them to rid you of your virtue

Forget their laughter

The next voice you hear will be your own

Throw down your truth and check your weapons

And don't look to see if you're alone

Just stand your ground

And don't turn around whatever happens

Don't ask directions

The next voice you hear will be your own.

Today, the streets of my neighborhood are lined with American flags. I hope they will stay there, to quote another Browne song, "until the Land of the Free is awake and can see, and until her conscience has been found."

Peace and good luck.