Oh right.

Now I remember.

I remember how 19 terrorists conspired to knock down some buildings, killing nearly 3,000 people in New York City, Arlington, and Shanksville.

I remember the confusion of the day, as news reports scrambled to report every bit of information, much of which turned out to be rumor.

I remember how quickly Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda came up in assigning blame, and wondering if it was premature.

I remember al-Qaeda taking credit, which mostly sated that skepticism–though obviously not for everyone.

I remember the sense of patriotism and vulnerable togetherness that gripped the country.

I remember rushing to set up donations at my high school, talking about the Gadsden flag in a college application essay.

I remember the days with no airplanes flying overhead.

I remember politicians scrambling as quickly as they could to wield the tragedy like a cudgel, so they could rush to unrelated wars and trade liberty for fake security.

I remember other politicians allowing it to happen, or going along with it out of misguided nationalist fervor.

I remember finding out about the memo that warned of the attacks, ignored at our peril.

I remember “mission accomplished.”

I remember the United States committing war crimes for no tangible benefit.

I remember a President campaigning on his stellar terror record, which paradoxically included the worst domestic attack in U.S. history.

I remember the millions of dollars that went to no-bid contracts, the millions more that were lost entirely.

I remember the sinking of the economy on the backs of cronyism and corporate greed.

I remember the wars that have killed more on both sides than thirty 9/11s.

I remember a President campaigning on change, who left the horrors of torture and indefinite detainment and unchecked surveillance unchanged.

I remember the day almost ten years later when the man behind the attacks was finally caught, in a nation that claimed to be our ally, nowhere near our wars.

I remember the men and women still fighting those insane, costly wars, who cannot come home.

I remember that, even if they were to come home, corporate greed and political spinelessness would mean that they’d have no jobs to come back to.

I remember that terrorism means the use of attacks to spread fear and force action.

I remember what America was like before, and wonder how we let the terrorists win.