These people were extraordinary; they were heroic in death. Holding signs up isn’t in the same category, but we hear a muted and less freighted resilience and pragmatism today – in the voices that are not hate-filled, not mean-spirited, but do want to keep the responsibility for our businesses, our schools and our health in our own hands.

The only part of the American national security establishment that successfully completed the OODA loop and counter-attacked in real time on 9/11 was the reserve militia, acting without orders, without hierarchy, without uniforms or weapons, by spontaneous organization and action.

The Flight 93 counter-attack was an example which totally contradicts the top-down, state-led, rule-bound approach which Bush and now Obama are following.

The Flight 93 counter-attack mirrored the strengths of our attackers, and overmatched them.

This is the essence of America. It is the most important lesson of 9/11.

Yet no one pays attention to it.