The little things count

Tom Friedman agrues that all the little changes since 9/11 may have a lasting effect on America's DNA. I think he's very right. I too was in London recently, and almost wanted to cry when I saw the US embassy. It's a barricaded fort, in the middle of a very upmarket area in the principle city of our principle world ally. I've heard friends here complain about visiting the US and jumping through hoops to get off of an airplane. Friedman's closing thought wouldn't be a bad motto for reconciliation policy:

where birds don't fly [caged off embassies], people don't mix, ideas don't get sparked, friendships don't get forged, stereotypes don't get broken, and freedom doesn't ring.