It would be nice if Americans would make an effort to emulate their cousins across the pond in the wake of the subway and bus bombings of July 7, 2005.
Nice, but I'm hardly holding my breath for a miracle of that magnitude to manifest.
My sympathy and grief go out to the people of London in particular and to all who lost family, loved ones, and friends in the terrorist attacks. Their loss may not be as spectacular in terms of numbers or compelling television as were the attacks of 9/11, but that loss is no less significant. It is not the nature or quantifiable cost in human lives of terrorism that is important, but rather the simple fact of terrorism at all that reduces us.
The British are to be commended as an example for all in the quiet, dignified, and businesslike manner in which they got over the immediate shock of the tragedy and moved forward with courage and expediency to aid their neighbors. London stood up and faced the situation as adults, grim and demoralized to me certain but intent on persevering and overcoming.
Would that such an attitude could take root in this country. Many Americans reacted similarly in the aftermath of 9/11, but too many more were more concerned with casting blame and demanding to know who was going to make their lives right again as if that were something for which they have no personal responsibility. Frequent were the cries of outrage that certain countries didn't same to care enough about our tragedy, or express the proper kind of sympathy. Some wondered where airlifts of supplies were, since we would have certainly sent entire squadrons filled with supplies and bank vaults full of cash to make ourselves feel better that we were helping if the tragedy had befallen someone else. Never mind that we possessed the resources to see to our own physical needs within our nation, and that it was truly only the sympathy and solidarity of an outraged world that we needed to make ourselves whole again.
Our media almost trivialize the events in London by running promotions for special programming that wonders "Is America vulnerable to such an attack on our public transportation system?" even before all the bodies have been recovered or the dust has had a chance to settle. Katie Couric asked the Secretary of Homeland Security this morning if President Bush's budget proposal for Homeland Security was "responsible" in light of the attacks in London - as if that budget had been assembled and submitted in the last 24 hours.
Were yesterday's bombings inevitable? Of course not. Were they predictable? Absolutely. There is no telling where, or when, or how, but it is reasonable for every freedom loving and peaceable person on the planet to assume that his town, her personal security, may be the target of a terrorist attack at any time. Governments are no more responsible for failing to prevent every one of these attempted attacks than they are for failing to prevent earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and tornados. The perpetrators of such acts are responsible. End of search for culpability.
Americans wail that we are spending our children's lives in Afghanistan and Iraq fighting an enemy that seeks to end our concept of civilization. Far too many seem to have forgotten that this is a real war we are fighting. We can't fight to a flag that must be captured, a capitol that must be controlled, a single leader who must be overcome and say "There! That is the thing we must accomplish and all will be well!" That is what makes this war so much more challenging than any other ever fought. A stateless enemy can go to ground anywhere, and resurface anywhere else without warning. Until we recognize this war, and live our daily lives as if it truly were a war with sacrifices on the homefront there is no chance to win it. Too many will continue to perceive it as a waste of our soldiers' lives, a drain on our resources, an inconvenience and distraction from day to day living. Until it hits home again for us like it did for London yesterday, for America on 9/11, too many will want to do nothing more.
And when it does finally hit home again they will demand to know why their government didn't do anything to prevent it. And they will all conveniently be unable to find a mirror.
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