It has been nearly 10 years since the fateful events shook the world on Sept. 11, 2001. It created the question of “Where were you when the towers were hit?” much like the older generation’s question of “Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”

Since 9/11, the reality of how security is evaluated and acted upon by Americans has undergone changes that make some proud and make others cry out with frustration.

But what changes did 9/11 really lead to?

In the beginning, everyone banded together to show our dedication to our country and to stand tall against the forces of “evil” arrayed against us. We held our heads high, cried for those lives lost and showed our patriotism in every way a person could imagine.

As years went by, films and television began to show footage of the World Trade Center. The majority of people felt comfortable with planes again, instead of fearing for their lives whenever they saw or heard a plane while they were in a high-rise building. Patriotism became mere bumper sticker slogans again.

Our unified country slowly returned to its racially, sexually and religiously divided state. People got back to arguing about “American Idol” and other inane shows. Life in America went back to the same rhythm it was dancing to before.

Sept. 11 didn’t really change much in this country, not much that wouldn’t have changed anyway. It was a catalyst for some war efforts and security measures that were already brewing, they just probably came to a head more rapidly.

Then we killed Osama bin Laden, and people across America suddenly celebrated the death of another man; apparently executions are OK so long as it is one of the well-labeled bad guys. Stopping a threat is something to be proud of, but fireworks and cracking open beers at the death of a fellow man is something entirely different, even if he was an awful bastard.

Maybe 9/11’s effect on America was really more of a mental alteration than anything; we actually became the violent people much of the world sees us as.

As the rememberances of those tragic events unfold this Sept. 11, maybe the old feeling of togetherness will return and this country will be united again; even if only for a brief time.

But it will probably be too brief. Presidential candidates and the big boys in Washington will return to attacking one another in short order; the blame game will probably be further stirred with 9/11 fresh on our minds again. Television will have some special episodes where the characters address 9/11, but the programming will return to its mostly mediocre content. The news programs will continue to provide each station’s own skewed view of events, highlighting whatever fits their agenda.

Basically, everything will go back to the hustle and bustle we have been living in since 9/11; much the same as we lived in before 9/11.

So did 9/11 change America? Well, yes, of course it did. But those changes were coming anyway, as some event or another would have caused them in these last 10 years; though it might not have been one quite so tragic.

What we need to do after these 10 years is the same thing we did in the immediate aftermath of 9/11: We need to come together and take a look at what is going on in this country. But this time, we don’t require knee-jerk reactions, we can reason and examine our options and come to sensible solutions.

We become complacent far too quickly. The generations coming of age and into power understand immediacy, our attention spans are short because we want to see things happen. So it is in our hands to take action and let those in power know we have woken up, that we are ready to take the reins and improve our situation in America.

We need to walk away from this anniversary with a fire in our eyes for making a better world, not more spend-crazy military actions and fear-mongering enterprises. We need to do what we should have been doing since our eyes were briefly opened on 9/11: We need to make changes to let us be united again.