Patriot Day, twenty years later

 

Collect #31, in Time Of War Or Civil Disturbance

 Lectionary: 442

I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.

President Biden has tried to make September 11, 2021 a day of closure, a day when Americans might put the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq behind us. Without walking away from our mission to foster democracy throughout the world, we should turn our attention to the work of rebuilding the United States. We should recommit to its constitutional principles of equality, freedom, and mutual support even as we rebuild our neglected infrastructures. 

Jesus clearly knew something about infrastructure as he spoke of a house built on sand and another house built on rock. The former was doomed to fail; the latter would withstand even ferocious storms and flooding rivers. I once lived in a small, one-story building in a city called Springvale -- which name should have served as a warning to builders. The persistent moisture in the soil had eroded the cement foundations, turning them to powder, and the walls were crumbling. I watched the sun rise through a crack in the wall. 

Nine-eleven not only shook the nation to its foundation, it revealed its foundational faults. We could not resist the urge to revenge. We reacted in fear and rage as we sent troops first to Afghanistan and then to Iraq. But, after a few months, neither initiative had popular support, our allies were not fully engaged, and alternative responses were not explored. 

Later, in 2004, someone gave me a book entitled The Pentagon's New Map. It described a theory that the organized nations of the world should take charge of the disorganized and badly managed nations, teaching them basic principles of law, economics, and jurisprudence. Where necessary their governments and leadership might be "decapitated" and temporarily replaced with militarily supported governors. Although the plan might require military intervention, the real work would be done by an enormous "army" of lawyers, businesspeople, teachers, counselors, and social workers who would build the intellectual infrastructures of a civilized nation.  

The argument was persuasive, and apparently had support in some high levels of the government. Who would not want a world without terror? But there was several flies in that lovely ointment. The author, Thomas P.M. Barnett, introduced himself as a former Catholic; but he had forgotten the doctrine of Original Sin. Everyone who goes to war has their own motive for doing so. For some it is revenge; for others, glory; still others, escape from their troubles at home. Patriots will feel a religious obligation to serve. A few want to kick butt and kill. Almost all expect their sacrifices to be amply rewarded. 

The culture of death sees potential for good in making war. Just as abortion frees people to fornicate without consequences, and capital punishment rids a society of bad people, and suicide relieves the miserable from suffering, so does war make the world safe for democracy. If these invasions are bargains with Satan and there is a governing principle -- a just world hypothesis -- which eventually punishes shortsighted, bad investments, the balance will be paid by another generation long after we're dead. We'll take our chances. There's money to be made.  

Many moral authorities opposed the wars. Pope John Paul II spoke out against invading Afghanistan and Iraq. Some people remembered the sad story of American engagement in Vietnam. Historians are now discussing those decisions. Were they popular? Did a democratic nation want to invade a faraway nation without provocation? How much did the moneyed interests manipulate the discussion with false narratives and persuasive non sequiturs?

War is like marriage. If a man and woman are inseparably joined by God in marriage, nations are inseparably bonded by war. Invading armies leave fatherless children in their wake. They return home with blood on their hands and violence in their bones. Invariably the invaded nation invades the invaders' homeland with immigrants, customs, and ideas. (Europeans discovered hospitals, arabic numbers, prayer beads, and many spices during the crusades from Muslims.) 

Violence will never end violence. Terrorism will not be suppressed by war. If anything good came of Nine Eleven, we can hope we learned unforgettable lessons of regret.