Patterns emerged in responses to questions posed to my American neighbors over the past 18 months.

At first, people felt uneasy about the country. A few months later, the people were more than uneasy — they were worried.

By the time January rolled around, people were saying America was dying. I’ve heard this everywhere I’ve gone since then. They’d say America was dying. They’d say we were heading for a collapse, disintegration, a crisis, an explosion.

Men and women responded differently to the question: “What can we do to stop America from dying?”

Almost every man had the same response: “There’s nothing we can do.”

Almost every woman responded by saying: “Well, we have to do something!”

The men could not seem to wrap their mind around the idea of doing anything at all. The women, on the other hand, began to make suggestions.

I don’t want anyone to get the idea I have something against men — I am one. But the idea of sitting on the tracks watching an approaching train seems plain silly to me.

This country hasn’t had a true wake-up call since Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941. We like to say September 11th was a wake-up call, but if that’s so then the nation promptly hit the snooze button and snored away. I don’t know about anyone else, but when I go back to sleep after hitting the snooze button, I’m a lot harder to wake up thereafter.

I wasn’t around in 1941. But by all accounts, America stood still for a minute and then swung into action. There’s no doubt there was much confusion in getting ready for the action that took place as we entered World War II. But the fact is, suddenly the country was awake and willing to act. Americans were creative in learning quickly how to stand together. They served their country in ways ranging from growing Victory Gardens to building aircraft to dying on beaches.

The women were not willing to allow anyone to harm their children. The men were not willing to allow anyone to harm their homes. Thousands of people suffered to protect this country and the ideas of freedom. American ships were being sunk by German U-boats in sight of terrified tourists on eastern American beaches. The realities of outside aggression were mighty close indeed, even before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

September 11th has become nothing more than a TV show in our national mind.

I cannot criticize my American male neighbors. But it seems apparent to me the menfolk aren’t willing to think about what can be done to save the country.

Women have an instinctive connection to the past through the children they’ve brought into the world, and a connection to the future because of the natural progression of grandchildren and beyond.

Ladies, answer this question: What can we do to save America? How can we guard your grandchildren’s liberty? Speak up. Please let your answers be those things individuals can do.