Are you a 9/12 voter?

Thomas Friedman has a superb piece in the Sunday New York Times. Using a recent article from the Onion as a springboard, Friedman sharply criticizes Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani for his heavy use of 9/11 campaign imagery.

He argues that the next election is not about 9/11, but rather 9/12. In other words, the next election should be about the future, not the past.

Here are the proverbial money quotes:

"...9/11 has made us stupid. I honor, and weep for, all those murdered on that day. But our reaction to 9/11 — mine included — has knocked America completely out of balance, and it is time to get things right again."

"Before 9/11, the world thought America’s slogan was: “Where anything is possible for anybody.” But that is not our global brand anymore. Our government has been exporting fear, not hope: “Give me your tired, your poor and your fingerprints.”"

"I just attended the China clean car conference, where Chinese automakers were boasting that their 2008 cars will meet “Euro 4” — European Union — emissions standards. We used to be the gold standard. We aren’t anymore."

"We can’t afford to keep being this stupid! We have got to get our groove back. We need a president who will unite us around a common purpose, not a common enemy. Al Qaeda is about 9/11. We are about 9/12, we are about the Fourth of July — which is why I hope that anyone who runs on the 9/11 platform gets trounced."