Essay If U.S. responds with justice, terrorists win
By ROBERT J. MAHONEY
Terrorism resembles jujitsu, the martial art that turns an
enemys strength and weaknesses against himself. Terrorism aims to provoke
harsh government reactions revoking freedom, invading privacy and alienating
citizens. Terrorists may goad governments into wars across borders. Terrorism
amplifies and feeds upon fear and distrust.
We can -- we must -- seek justice for these fanatical murderers of
thousands of innocent Americans. However, we must proceed firmly with a
measured response that is neither hasty nor arrogant. Justice -- not rage, hate
or revenge -- must temper our response, lest we use our extraordinary firepower
to destroy innocents. Then, terrorist jujitsu wins, and we pay our enemies the
highest compliment of imitation. We become what we profess to despise.
In one of our purest wars, World War II, both the
English and we condemned the Nazis for their barbaric saturation
bombing of noncombatants -- men, women and children -- in English cities. We
protested until we had enough planes to do the same thing, creating firestorms
that sucked and scorched the life from thousands of noncombatant men, women and
children in German cities. Those were not our finest hours.
President Bush countered the terrorist jujitsu by widespread
consultation and consensus before responding militarily. Most important, the
presidents desire to shape an enduring antiterrorist coalition of friends
and former foes could far exceed whatever is -- or is not -- accomplished in
Afghanistan. A permanent coalition could interdict terror across borders and
destroy sanctuaries for fanatics. A similar strategy helped protect
international flights in the Cold War. However, building a successful coalition
requires our patient and sustained support. Peace of any kind is hard work.
Meanwhile, let us take stock. Many Americans see the attacks as a
single terrible event, hoping time will ease our shock and grief.
Terrorism is not an event; it is a process.
Our economy has taken a trillion-dollar hit. The economic
aftershocks are just emerging. One example: tourism. Airline travel trickled.
The hotel/lodging business is off 30 to 50 percent in major urban centers. This
affects bars, restaurants, retail and specialty shops, entertainment and ground
transport and eventually production of many goods and services. Unemployment,
loan defaults, broken leases, exhausted capital will arrive with recession
force for some time and much longer if there are additional attacks.
To punish, prevent or minimize attacks, the U.S. attorney general
seeks fewer restraints on surveillance. The president proposes tracing and
neutralizing terrorist funds, mobility and communications. Law enforcement
clearly needs some latitude.
However, proposals opening phone conversations, e-mail and
personal banking and financial records to multiple agencies with questionable
accountability affects us all. This has great potential for the abuses, fear
and paranoia terrorist jujitsu seeks to achieve.
Both in the short and long term, we now must draw upon reserves of
character too long idle. Without integrity as a people, we aid and abet
terrorists by failing to hold government and ourselves accountable.
For too long we have winked and chuckled about (and elected)
politicians with tattered morals. We have enough citizens in grinding poverty
to fill 20 large cities. We are often pragmatic, greedy, mendacious and
selfish. We struggle with racism, ageism, sexism and ethnic discrimination.
Our leaders have not helped. Congress, itself enjoying superlative
health insurance and retirement benefits, consistently denies health coverage
to millions of our disadvantaged. Campaign reform languishes, and politicians
accept huge donations from pharmaceutical, energy, tobacco, and other special
interest groups for legislative favors.
We substitute polls for principles. We take our blessings --
including peace -- for granted and as our due. We arrogantly parade our power,
wealth and conspicuous consumption. We make a tempting target.
Still, hope is not dead. In the wake of Sept. 11, our
compassionate outpouring of grief and support for the dead and injured, our
turning to prayer, unprecedented giving, even our just anger, all give evidence
that our values are not dead, only dormant. The terrorist challenge calls us
back to basic values in our great and fruitful land.
We may not get another chance.
Jesuit Fr. Robert J. Mahoney is a professor and chairman of the
sociology department at Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. He wrote this
for The Kansas City Star, and it is reprinted with permission of the
Star.
National Catholic Reporter, October 19,
2001
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