Days That Will Live in Infamy, and Unspoken Fears for the Future

Hope can crumble in an instant. A way of life can be shattered forever in a single shot. Sunday is the 67th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and a little more than a week ago the world was reminded again how white-hot hatreds can send mayhem into the world, that the peace we enjoy is a fragile thing easily punctured by the rages of madmen and zealots. The Jihadists hate our way of life and want us destroyed, much in the way the leaders of Imperial Japan once did; only now a few dedicated and highly-trained men can hold an entire country hostage. The means of violence are everywhere and the passion to inflict sorrow is endless.

I have a terrible fear that there will be an act of biological or nuclear terrorism at the inauguration of Barack Obama, and if not that, a Mumbai-style assault on our nation's capital during the inaugural parade, either by Muslim commandos or a white supremacy group. I have no deep understanding of international politics or the nature of terrorism. I only know that our world is an increasingly fragile and chaotic place, and the forces of evil and violence seem to have a greater hold than ever before. With the advent of automatic weapons and satellite phones, a few men with the will to kill can hold off an entire army. The Mumbai terrorists took cocaine and LSD and steroids, so they could fight for 50 hours without sleep, and kill as many as possible. They hijacked a fishing boat and killed the captain and crew, and infiltrated the city on inflatable rafts. Their targets were strategically chosen and the assault was carefully planned. They killed over 180 people. Their hatred, and the hatred of endless men devoted to the same cause, will never stop. They believe their cause is holy and just, and they want to inflict as much injury and incite as much fear as possible. I don't think the world will ever be normal, or safe, or at peace, ever again.

The entire world will be watching when President Obama takes the oath of office. He will be standing alongside the outgoing President, and the Chief Justice, and foremost leaders of our country will be gathered in one place. It's horrible to contemplate, and perhaps unreasonable, but how can they be defended against such a resourceful and irrational enemy, an enemy willing to die to strike one blow against the cause of freedom and democracy? Every camera will be turned to that event. It is a proud and historic moment. Leading celebrities and pundits will be on hand, a star-studded and overflow crowd. It is the perfect moment for something horrible, an act of inhuman violence and rage.

I hope I am completely wrong. I hope my fears and suspicions are completely misplaced. I know there are many good men and women employing every weapon of technology and strategy and planning to thwart such a catastrophe, and they are unceasing and diligent and highly trained. My own son-in-law is an expert in anti-explosives, trained by the Army to recognize threats and diffuse them. Young men and women like him will be called upon to make heroic efforts to ensure the safety of our leaders and our citizens and the great hallmarks of our nation, the symbols of freedom, patriotism and sacrifice. We have a faith of our own, a faith in humanity and the cause of justice for all. I hope our faith is great enough, and our diligence and resolve are far greater. Mumbai was half a world away but it was not random or isolated: it is the harbinger of the holocaust to come. This time the world will be destroyed by fire, a fire stoked by unquenchable hatreds. There is no doubt that is the bitter end. But we must deny it all the way, and strive to live with a devotion to a greater good.