text:  probably our freedom and prosperity peaked somewhere around the middle of the 20th century as the American empire was really on the rise. But even if you don't think that, even if you hate the 1950s for some reason, I think it's hard to argue that we're freer and more prosperous today than we were before 9-11. No way. We're certainly not more secure today than we were before 9-11, are we? It doesn't feel that way. It seems like there's terror events popping off all over the country and all over the world all the time.