Courage in the Face of Terror

Citizens acted with courage and generosity. Government responded with moderation and patience – no rush to action, instead a calm search for evidence and an evaluation of options.

Within 15 minutes of the first strike on the World Trade towers in New York, ambulances and fire trucks were lined up for blocks to rescue victims.

Rescuers continued arriving through and after the next deadly strike. No one expected the towers to collapse, but rescue workers knew they had put themselves in harm’s way – the danger of further terrorist attacks, falling debris, potentially toxic gases, fire, and explosions. The rescue work continued.

After the towers collapsed, killing hundreds of rescue workers and thousands of innocent civilians, the rescue work immediately resumed.

In horrid conditions, the rescuers never let up. I don’t know how many of us would willingly work shift after shift in the potentially lethal air embracing the rubble – air full of pulverized metal, glass, asbestos, and a mélange of other chemicals with unknown health consequences.

Yet, with incredible courage and generosity, New Yorkers scrapped away at the ruins, even without the healing balm of lives saved from the debris. As the hours and days went on, it became increasingly obvious that no additional victims would be pulled breathing from the wreckage.

Yet, the courage to hope in the face of devastation showed, as grieving New Yorkers posted pictures of loved ones around the site of the attacks.

As one might expect of a free and open society, the United States was unprepared for the attack. Military planes were scrambled too late. Even after the New York attacks, the orders to evacuate offices in Washington came slowly and late.

Yet, as the magnitude of the attack became clear, U.S. authorities moved quickly to clear the skies and establish security.

U.S. military and law enforcement officials acted with immense restraint. There seemed to be no pressure, from any corner, for reckless military or legal action. The first arrest wasn’t made until Friday, three days after the terrorists struck.

There were no screaming mobs – arms thrust in the air, fists clenched – demanding revenge, a sight all too common around the world. Instead, Americans gathered for ceremonies of grief and celebration of life. The speeches and the sermons emphasized tolerance and patience.

Indeed, officials of all stripes reminded Americans of the nation’s tradition of tolerance and praised U.S. Muslim and Arab communities. Police and public officials responded quickly to any threat to these communities.

As in Canada, there were rare appalling incidents against Muslims and Arabs, but these were few and far between. In half an hour, the average anti-globalization demonstration creates more violence and hateful language than occurred among 300 million Americans in all the days that followed the terrorist attacks.

Sadly, many Canadians seemed anxious to explain why the world justly hates the United States, often citing U.S. actions in the Balkans and Iraq – as if it would somehow have been right to allow genocide to continue or aggression to go unchecked. U.S. action in the Balkans, where the U.S. has virtually no military or economic interests, comes as close as possible to true altruism in international affairs.

Now comes the response to the terrorist attacks. Don’t be fooled by the smug anti-Americanism, which colours so much Canadian discourse. We are all under attack. The lifeblood of an open society is the unfettered flow of people, ideas, and goods. The very essence of freedom was attacked.

U.S. officials and the public understand the need to protect civil liberties while fighting terrorism. That, and the need for foreign action, will test our patience and sense of balance in the coming days.