Fifteen years ago, this nation grieved as one heart, cried as one people. We joined together as one nation in our horror and our pain and our solidarity and support of one another. No white, black, Latino, Asian, immigrant. No Republican, Democrat, independent, tea party. One nation, one people.

What happened?

Wall Street wolves gambled away workers’ retirement funds, jobs, homes. Foreign wars took thousands of the nation’s bravest and left tens of thousands wounded. Politicians dug in, refusing to work together.

Now they lie to us, sow fear and distrust among us, divide us one against the other.

Is this the way to honor our innocent dead, our courageous dead?

What happened to the “United” in our nation’s name?

Joanne D’Unger, Leeds