Shortly after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, people here in Seattle wrote poems and letters and placed them at a small scale Statue of Liberty replica on one of our beaches. One of the letters that someone wrote was actually thanking the terrorists! But it may not be what you think. Heres what it said:

"Thankyou terrorists! Despite the fact that you have destroyed national monuments and killed thousands of people, I must thank you. Because of you, the people of this nation have been bonded together, and we are now more united than we have ever been before. Due to your actions, we have strengthend as a nation. Once again, thankyou."

What do you think of that? It came off as somewhat strange the first time that I heard it, but then made sense. How about the rest of you?

Before 11 Sept., you didn't see much sign of patriotism. When I went to a Durham Bulls game earlier in the summer, as the National Anthem played, people just stood but didn't pay attention. Some were talking and laughing. Others were eating their hot dogs and munching on their cracker jacks.

After 11 Sept., if you look at the houses on my street, every one of them has a flag hanging off their mailboxes or somewhere near their house. Quite a few of them also hang flags off their cars or have flag bumper stickers or magnets. One fellow who works in the lab downstairs from me wears a different patriotic t-shirt every day.

If anything, it's awakened a sense of patriotism in people. And perhaps that is a good thing.