As the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 approaches, it’s only natural for Americans to reflect on the day that forever altered our world. First and foremost, we must remember the crime against humanity that was perpetrated and strengthen our resolve never again to let Islamic fascism go unopposed.

Beyond the big picture, the reverberations of 9/11 can also be felt on a personal level. In my own case, the trauma caused an epiphany of sorts, leading me on a political journey from left to right.

It turns out I was not alone. All across the nation, people like myself realized that not only was it progressive (in the true sense of the word) to be on their country’s side in the coming world struggle, but also that many societal traditions that had been so cavalierly dismissed by the left were indeed worth preserving.

But for liberals looking in from the outside, such a change in worldview must have been puzzling. For instance, it probably seemed counterintuitive for a freewheeling California type like myself to suddenly embrace conservatism. In their minds, conservatives are seen as stodgy, square and decidedly unhip. The fact that I retained essentially the same outward appearance and in many respect habits (yes, I still shop at health food stores) further compounded their confusion. The question that came to mind was, how can you be "cool" and be a conservative?

But the truth is, these days being a conservative is cool.

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