I think to a lot of people, it happened on 9/11/01.
That happened to alot of people of I know. Before politics was almost fun and games. A circus, if you will, performing for our amusement. No one thought in times when the economy was booming and the Cold War was over that the political battles mattered. That facade was shattered like so many lives that dreadful day. I can still hear the anguish in my mother's voice 3000 miles away when we could not account for all of our family(4 worked in, under or next to the towers) during those terrible confusing early hours(by luck and circumstance all were eventually safe). And we were certainly among the lucky ones. After that day, many people said NEVER AGAIN!
No more fun and games, the stakes are real and the lives of our families, friends and fellow Americans are indeed at stake. Our enemies have already gotten a little taste of America's righteous rage. If they want more, Americans will be happy to serve it to them.