You are safer now

USA Today (off-line) had a wussy headline today that bothered me. In remembering 9/11, it asked something like, "But are you safer now?"

I think this question should be broken in two. 1) Are you safer now? and 2) Do you feel safer now?

1: Of course we're safer now! Whatever our country's security flaws, I have to believe there are fewer flaws now than there were before 9/11. Also, however capable Al Qaeda is now, I can't believe the battering we have given it has improved its ability to hit us.

2: But of course we don't feel safer! We were hit by a huge terrorist attack, something we didn't expect. Our illusion of safety was shattered. We realize it could happen again. And it can; and it may.

But setting feelings aside, are we safer now than before? Absolutely. By far.