EDITORIAL
On Tuesday, remember Sept. 11 and vote

On Tuesday, Hawai'i will join the nation in the first general election since the terrible attacks of Sept. 11.

Unless there is a sea change in attitudes — and there should be — the turnout for that election will be mediocre, at best. Is that how we want to answer those who would attack America and the freedoms it represents?

Immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, a wave of patriotism swept the country. Flags were unfurled, new respect was shown for our political leaders and Americans came to a newfound appreciation for the freedoms they enjoy.

That fever has cooled, perhaps inevitably. But shouldn't some of the energy, passion and commitment we showed in the face of the attacks be saved for Election Day?

How can anyone stay away from the polls at a time when uniformed men and women are abroad, risking their lives to protect our rights, including the right to vote?

It's easy enough to say there's no point in voting, that they're all the same or the decisions are being made by special interests and insiders.

Not only is such thinking false, it is self-defeating. Special interests and insiders have influence only when the rest of us stay away.

Remember how you felt right after Sept. 11. Remember how you determined then that no one was going to intimidate us, destroy us, take our freedoms away.

Remember that, and vote on Tuesday.