What Not To Do

2001-9-22 04:54:00

I was happy to agree with everything in your last post, Travis.

The question we have been considering for a few days is: How should we respond to the great attack of 9/11?

On one side some want immediate revenge, no matter who gets hurt. In the middle are those who want justice, but want to take the time to do it right with minimal casualties to the innocent. Then on the left are those who want to do nothing but send love and peace.

Before I give you my thoughts about what to do, let me share with you what we should not do.

(1) We should not respond impulsively because of the strong feelings involved. When Osama Bin Laden attacked us during the Clinton Administration and we impulsively responded by bombing Afghanistan, we turned an ally into an enemy. There is much wisdom in the injunction of Solomon that "there is a time and a place for everything under heaven," even a time for war and a time to kill, but following the knee jerk reaction always leads to bad timing.

To his credit, President Bush and crew seems to be studying the matter in an effort find the ones responsible and attempting to create an intelligent plan to go after them. A lesser man would have sent cruise missiles by now.

A lot of criticism and judgment has been leveled his way over for things he has not done or has not said as if he has already done and said them. I think we ought to give him the benefit if the doubt. He is not perfect, but has a good heart and is more intelligent than many suppose.

(2) We should not pass judgment on all people of the Moslem faith. Some have and since Sept 11th there have been about 40 cases to date where a possible hate crime has been committed toward Moslems. One idiot even killed a businessman from India thinking he looked Arabic.

President Bush is also to be commended for speaking out strongly in support of our law abiding Moslem friends in and out of the United States and condemning acts of hatred.

Because there have been a few cases of hate crimes against Moslems in this country some have condemned the United States as a whole for the acts of a few.

To do this is as wrong as condemning all Moslems for the acts of the few who are terrorists.

Believe me, if some crazed group of Americans blew up a 100 billion dollars worth of Arabian oil wells you would hear stories of embassies being attacked and Americans being dragged through the streets while the people cheer.

In every nation you will have a small number who make knee jerk judgments and will harm the innocent, but that number is growing smaller as civilization progresses. The United States is more tolerant of the Arabic people living here after the recent tragedy than we were of the Japanese during World War II.

Consider this. As recent as the 1830's the governor of the State of Missouri issued an order to "exterminate" every Mormon who did not leave the state. Thousands of men, women and children had to give up their property and flee for their lives.

Governor Boggs, who issued this outlandish order in the land of the free, never suffered any legal repercussions for this act and when Joseph Smith petitioned to the President of the United States for justice he was told, "Your cause is just, but there is nothing I can do."

From crimes like this, to slavery, to the discrimination of the 20th century one can see that we as a nation along with the rest of civilization have made much progress.

Instead of looking only at the bad we must also take heart at the great progress that has been made.

(3) Do not let yourself feel depressed. The media says that 70% of Americans are depressed over this, but maybe we should count our blessings.

Consider this. More people die every day of starvation worldwide than all the lives that were lost in the 9/11 tragedy. Maybe we should just accept our blows, count our blessings and get on with our lives. All must take appropriate time for reflection and grief, but we still have many opportunities for health and happiness.

(4) Do not let inertia get you down. Many seem to be just standing still, not buying anything, not traveling, not going out for entertainment, not allowing themselves the joy of laughter etc. This inertia not only hurts the individual, but hurts the whole country and the world. Let us lift up our eyes above the clouds and return to normal and enjoy the rays of the sun and the friendship and association of all who come upon our path.

Next: What we should do.