Every time the subject of 9/11 comes up, the sunshine soldiers
and summer patriots of the "could've, would've and should've"
school of criticism lecture us about all of the mistakes that were
made when 9/11 happened and its immediate aftermath. Back in the
real world, 9/11 was the most deadly attack on American citizens --
claiming thousands of victims -- that has occurred in the long
history of this country. Further, the strike was unexpected and
without warning or suspicion of impending doom. Of course, once it
happened, the City could have simply been shut down. But this would
have devastated the economy of New York and in turn, since New York
is both the central financial hub of both America and the world,
not only would America's economy have been ruined, but there would
have been a worldwide economic collapse.
On June 22, 1941, when Russia was attacked by Germany, Joseph
Stalin was so paralyzed that for days he locked himself in a room
in his Dacha, paralyzed into inaction, while the Nazis overran his
country, killing and capturing hundreds of thousands of soldiers,
and destroying the Russian air force -- and this was after
he was warned by numerous sources that the attacks were about to
occur.
This was not what happened here in New York. The institutions of
government were reconstructed on an immediate basis. If business
did not go on as usual, at least there was a reasonable facsimile
thereof. On the West Side Piers there was the astounding spectacle
of each of the City agencies up and running in makeshift, but
functioning, mode. Large signs were hung over desks indicating
"Corrections Department," "Sanitation Department," "Water
Department," "Social Service Department," etc. Huge fax machines
spewed out hourly updates on the conditions of gas and power lines
in the smitten area. The Mayor gave almost hourly reports to the
public, keeping them informed and calm in the knowledge that there
was a steady hand at the helm. An adjacent building was turned into
a survivors' center where missing loved ones could attempt to be
contacted through a network of hospitals and aide centers. While
all the searching went on, Chaplains, aide workers, Red Cross
workers, etc. were available both to administer to the family's
needs and take care of children at a play center while the adults
went about their grim business. Sadly, there were literally no
survivors, but that was the fault of the despicable fanatic Muslims
and certainly not the fault of any City official.
Furthermore, notwithstanding any temporary confusion, the
federal government immediately recognized who the guilty parties
were, the armed forces were mobilized and accomplished devastating
strikes against the right people.
With the visual acuity of hindsight, the Emergency Response
Center could have been constructed differently and in a different
location. Different precautions could have been taken to protect
first and second responders. But who knew? If we knew when it was
going to rain with any degree of certainty, we would never be
caught without an umbrella. The City acted on the best available
information both before and after the event and, incidentally, as
far as the Emergency Response Center was concerned, various Federal
agencies were located in the same building and in the vicinity, and
they, too, were devastated.
Anybody who witnessed New York and the downtown area immediately
after 9/11 had to be appalled at the degree of devastation and
marvel at the correctness of the response of a Mayor who led rather
than dither. He wrote the textbook for the role public officials
should assume when catastrophe strikes. The people coming out of
the woodwork now could well fit under the category, to paraphrase
Shakespeare, "He jests at scars that never felt a wound." Let us,
and public officials -- including the Mayor -- be praised for what
we did that was right, and not condemned for what could have been
done differently, because we view, and judgment is made, through
the prism of time and knowledge certainly not available on
9/11.
topics:
Business, Russia
