Go, Us

Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Like most Americans, I've been following the news out of Boston for the last week or so. I'm glad the two suspects have been removed from society* pending due process, and I'm proud as hell of the performance of the first responders and civilians during this crisis. Go, us.

During the course of the crisis, though, I noticed something very different between the reaction of our country between what happened on 9/11 and what happened in Boston. While noting that the scale of these events is very different, I think it's fair to say that we, as Americans, did a much better job this time around.

First responders and law enforcement were on the ball. They apparently coordinated their efforts effectively, which resulted in not only the apprehension of the suspects, but the safeguarding of civilians and property. While the courage and dedication of first responders on 9/11 was never in question, they were working under the handicaps of shock and a failure of coordinated communications. That did not appear to be the case in Boston. We all know that America is not safe from this type of behavior. We're just not, and if 9/11 taught our first responders anything, it was not to be naive on this count and to be prepared. And we were. Go, us.

But I think the biggest change in our collective reaction was the courage of the general population. 9/11 was such a shocking event, such an unexpected event, I don't think people understood what was going on, and thus their reactions were compromised by their confusion and ignorance. Now? Spectators and runners responded. They ran toward the danger, right into the smoke and fire, in order to help those in need. While there are plenty of stories of the people in New York responding in just such a way 12 years ago, I think now the population understands such extraordinary acts of bravery by ordinary people are expected. They're still praiseworthy, these people still command our respect and admiration, but the culture has changed. Seeing the photos of our heroes still brings a tear to my eye and a swelling to my heart, but my reaction is no longer, "What an extraordinary human being." Instead it's "Of course people rushed in to help, in spite of the danger. It's how we roll."

"Keep calm and carry on," as it were.

The Smart Man thinks this sea change may be a result of seeing how New York's first responders behaved on 9/11. That the example of those men and women doing their duty with such determination and courage has shamed us into raising the bar on our obligations to help one another not just by donating to the American Red Cross, but by charging into the breach when necessary.

I don't know if he's right, but I'm intensely proud of this change. Prior to 9/11, it seemed that this kind of self-sacrifice was on the wane in our country. Now? Now, like Carlos Arredondo, we run into the smoke and the fire, to face the danger head-on, and help those who are not in a position to help themselves.

Go us, indeed.

____________
*Hey, being killed by law enforcement after holding up a convenience store, murdering a police officer, throwing explosives and carjacking innocents is, in fact, being "removed from society." While I would have preferred that the young man in question been taken alive for intelligence reasons, I'll shed no tears over this outcome.

1 comments:

mom in northern said...

Remember Mr Rodgers.

"Look for the helpers"