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Time for Contrition
...Problems arise when we attempt to "cover" our own sin, and never is that more true than in the case of powerful political leaders. Today the man who had done more than anyone to sound the alarm prior to 9/11 was the one to finally apologize to the families of the dead--many of whom were seated in the room--after all the Secretaries of Defense and State, the CIA Director and one National Security Advisor had testified.

It is obvious that there is plenty of blame to go around for the terrible lapse in security that failed to prevent the 9/11 attacks. It is also apparent that the most immediate blame must be borne by the Bush administration. But what is even worse than the initial negligence is the lengths to which they have gone to "cover" their sin. They've stonewalled the 9/11 Commission and even refused to allow their National Security Advisor to testify. They've tried to demonize any who criticized them. Finally, even the Iraq War can be argued to have part of its motivation in a hope that an easy military victory would "atone" for the catastrophe that hit the nation in 2001.

An Evangelical Christian like George W. Bush should understand contrition and repentance. If he had honestly examined himself and his adminstration in the days following 9/11, he surely would have recognized his fault and could have offered his apology to the victims' families and the nations. If members of Congress and the Clinton administration really looked at their own actions and inactions, they should have joined him in a day of national contrition and healing. None of that is to absolve the murdering terrorists who actually killed all those people. It is only to say that we depend upon our government to defend us and they failed....