We are fast approaching a milestone anniversary. Twenty years ago, on Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists commandeered commercial airplanes to kill more than 3,000 Americans in New York, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Those of us of age at the time will no doubt reflect on the events of that day — where we were, what we were doing, how we reacted.

Yet in another sense, 9/11 is not a fixed moment in time only to be remembered. It remains relevant for one at least one important reason: Twenty years ago foreign terrorists attacked our nation without warning. It was also probably the last time Americans were of one mind about anything.

“Never again” we spoke as one. And we meant it, too, surrendering — sacrificing, really — many of our civil liberties, including privacy rights, as part of the Patriot Act. Twenty years ago, we believed in such sacrifices because we still believed in the “common good,” a belief embraced in the Constitution, an idea that is an essential part of all civilized societies. Societies cannot long function without  a sense we are all in this together, despite our differences. We are bound together more by common needs and interests than constitutions or governments or even circumstances.

In today’s climate, it’s hard to imagine we as a people — reflected through the people we send to represent us in Washington — would agree to many of the sweeping changes and intrusions on civil liberties and privacy rights that we consented to 20 years ago, mostly with only mild objections.

In a Pew Research poll conducted in 2011, shortly before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, 40 percent said that “in order to curb terrorism in this country it will be necessary for the average person to give up some civil liberties,” while 54 percent  said it would not. A decade earlier, in the aftermath of 9/11 and before the passage of the Patriot Act, opinion was nearly the reverse (55 percent necessary, 35 percent not necessary).

There can be little doubt that the trend has continued over the past decade. Twenty years ago, we said with one voice, “Never Again.” Seven months ago, we saw a group of domestic terrorists storm the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to violently overthrow our government, an act encouraged, if not aided and abetted, by members of Congress and the lame duck President himself.

Twenty years ago, the events of Jan. 6, 2021, would have seemed as inconceivable as people deliberately flying commercial airplanes into buildings. The condemnation would have been certain, swift and universal.

Today, a whole political party, with the blessing of those who support that party, do not even believe the coup attempt warrants an investigation.

That’s just one example and not even the most recent.

Today, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the country and particularly here in the South. Daily cases are at record and near-record highs. Schools again face the prospect of shuttering their doors in a desperate effort to stop the spread of a virus that should have been contained by now.

It’s been almost nine months since the vaccines needed to end the pandemic became available. By now, life should have returned to normal. There should be no uncertainty about whether our children can safely go to school.  We should be attending large gatherings without the fear that we are gambling with our health, even our lives. Masks should be reserved for Halloween and bank robbers. Social distancing should be enforced only as a function of personal space.

Yet almost half of Americans remain unvaccinated.

It’s obvious, isn’t it? Too many Americans value “civil liberties,” which apparently includes the right to refuse to be vaccinated or abide by precautions we know that can slow its spread, over the well-being of all — the common good.

9/11 killed a few thousand Americans. COVID has killed hundreds of thousands, far too many of them needlessly, senselessly.

Twenty years ago, there was a genuine fear that foreign actors were trying to destroy America.

Since then, they need not bother.

We are destroying ourselves, divided and conquered by a distorted view of what it means to live in a functioning society.

We look back 20 years with sadness.

We look ahead with dread.

Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].