This past week, Americans once again had the opportunity to be American again, not Republicans, Democrats, liberals, progressives, conservatives, rich, middle class, poor, a member of the one percent or the 99 percent.
When Hurricane Sandy struck the eastern seaboard, we were once again reminded that the things that bind us together are stronger than those that divide us.
We’ve seen this before: Pearl Harbor, the JFK assassination, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11.
When our nation experiences trauma, we all pitch in and help and, in the process, we hear the question from time to time, from people filling sandbags, evacuating the sick from hospitals with no electricity, people donating their time, blood and money to assist: Why can’t we act this way all the time?
There seems to be no clear answer. Americans generally go about their daily business autonomously, consumed with their own affairs. Most of us adopt a live-and-let-live philosophy, perhaps because independence is part of our civic DNA.
We don’t like to be told what to do nor be compelled to join a group or cause.
Some images from this past week stand out: the president and the New Jersey governor standing shoulder to shoulder. Talk about chalk and cheese.
Their backgrounds and outlooks may differ, but they’re not talking politics now; that will most certainly come later. They’re trying to install confidence and hope in anyone within the sound of their voices that things will get better, and everyone’s in it to help.
We saw the same thing on 9/11.
The Senate and the House of Representatives standing on the Capitol steps singing “America the Beautiful.” No Republicans or Democrats, just Americans.
Later, as Ground Zero was being cleared, volunteers brought water, coffee and food to those clearing the debris. Gifts such as these were also brought to firehouses and police stations throughout New York. Ironworkers came in from all over the country, donating their time and expertise.
The question remains: Why does it take a disaster, natural or man-made, to force us to refocus on what’s really important? Perhaps there’s too much noise, too much shrillness in our society.
We keep dialing up the intensity of our lives, our iPods, our music, our political discourse and fail to notice the needs around us.
This is why there’s so much disgust over the recent political election cycle. We sense that we’re in a mess, but all “they” seem to do is talk and barrage us with campaign literature, ads and phone calls at dinner time.
The nation is being assaulted by excessive overload.
Too many messages, too much noise, too much frenetic activity. As the level increases, it takes an increasingly larger catastrophe to break through the cacophony and remind us just who we are and what we should be about.
So maybe it’s time to dial it down a bit. This week marks the end of a long grueling political campaign season.
Perhaps the politicians will realize that Americans are fatigued. We need some respite.
There will be other disasters in our future, both personal and national. Let’s hope we’ve recovered enough from our fatigue to be of service to others.
Let’s hope that we can more easily discern the call for help because the noise and distraction level in our lives will have diminished.
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