DUHbya solemnly declaring the “first war of the new millennium.” My heart fell: the first, meaning he knew there would be more war. Endless war. Hope for a new age died with those words.

“You’re either with us or against us.” Swaggering idiot.

The thugs who raged against dissent. How many of those same people openly hate the president today?

The odious un-American “PATRIOT” Act, unread by those who rushed to make it law. "Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism." (Renewed under Obama.)

My shock at first hearing “Homeland Security.” It still appalls me.

The militarization of the police. Heavily armored “cops” with tear gas masks and bayonets lunging at peaceful protestors. A local sheriff sneering, “Let me at them.”

Machine guns in a backwater airport like Albuquerque’s. I didn’t fly again for eight years – not for fear of terrorists, but disgust at our response.

Free Speech Zones in cages.

You cannot be free and afraid. You cannot have peace and rage. Wounded, we made many wrong choices. We’ll never fix the worst of our mistakes.