The world seems so fragile today. Industrialization from our advanced technology is polluting the air I breathe. When nature's wind is calm, particulate matter and ozone constrict my air passages. Pot holes in the street jolt my car and jostle my body as I traverse my little part of our globe. The television fills my eyes and ears with images, sounds, and languages from the other side of our planet. I envision my own personal version of "Survivor."

I question the role of the media in shaping public opinion. Although we are a country of free speakers, we often choose not to listen openly, proactively, to what is being said. Relevant facts so often become blurry background noise.

Before our President commits our voluntary military personnel to war, I want to know what my opinion is. I listen, I read, and I process the information based on my life experiences.

Our wars have been fought on the other side of the world, with the noted exception of the Civil War. The heartland of America has been considered a safe place in which to live. But since 9/11/01, our security as an isolated continent has been breached.

We will see no line of approaching redcoats to shoot down, like ducks in a carnival arcade. The guerilla terrorist enemy stands behind a curtain of normalcy. Dust blown civilizations have their own agenda for our planet.

Is this an updated version of the Domino Theory? Is this where we make a stand to prevent losing our way of life? The first three dominoes have already fallen on our soil. Over 3,000 innocent citizens "fallen"--leaving families, friends, and other inhabitants of the land of the free, bewildered at our personal and national vulnerability.

I would like to believe that each human being on earth has a soul that's in touch with "Godness." Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims claim to worship the "One" who personifies the necessity of love amongst us.

Personally, I don't care which religion one professes. I'd be happy to receive spiritual love in any form or fashion.

It's not the text of the Quoran that is at issue. The problem is the interpretation of the Quoran by extremist individuals who seek to further their own selfish agendas.

When this stage of civilization reaches the history books, will we have proven ourselves worthy of the challenges of democracy and humanity to man?