In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Americans continue to struggle with grief and anger. At the same time, we are faced with vital questions about who we are and what we must do to be secure in a dangerous world:

• Everyone agrees that we must stop this kind of terrorism. But as the weeks pass, our instinctive impulse to strike back is tempered by an increasing awareness of the dangers of indiscriminate retaliation. How can we apprehend and prosecute those responsible for these crimes while preventing the killing of innocents that could trigger an endless cycle of revenge?
  
  
• With our economy faltering and surpluses shrinking, where will the money come from to pay for a massive, long-term war against terrorism? What will be shortchanged in the process?
  
  
• In the wake of these events, many people are asking whether chemical, biological and nuclear terrorism also threaten our security. How serious are these threats and how can they best be addressed?
  
  
• What are the sources of the anger that fueled these attacks? Why is America the object of both envy and resentment in many parts of the world today? What, if anything, can we do as a nation to address the grievances that trigger this anger?
  
  
• What, if any, restrictions on our civil liberties are worth accepting in order to pursue alleged terrorists? Does national security require the curtailment of our freedom of speech and action? How much freedom and privacy are we willing to relinquish?
  
  
• How well is the media covering the story? Are we getting an accurate picture of the underlying causes and the full range of possible responses to the events of September 11?

The Mainstream Media Project offers you and your listeners the opportunity to speak with leading thinkers who can provide a broader context for these tragic events and our responses to them, in order to help prevent such acts from happening again.