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| Terrorism, Trauma and Security
by John M. Curtis Copyright September 24, 2001
Complicating the picture is the non-stop media coverage, saturating viewers with gruesome images of mass destruction. Nervous anticipation fills the air as the country braces for military action. Viewing round-the-clock news doesn’t give TV watchers enough time to recuperate. Glued to their sets, continuous coverage delays recovery from trauma by accidental re-exposure. No one should blame the media for doing their job. But hyping bio-terrorism, gas masks and crop-dusters, ordinary citizens must be cognizant that continuous re-exposure delays healing. Viewers need to be made aware that trauma sufferers—persons with anxiety, insomnia, disorientation, depression, nightmares, etc.—need to reduce exposure to stressful news. If that doesn’t work, seeking counseling or critical incident de-briefing—the treatment for reversing trauma—can do wonders. Especially hard-hit are airline personnel—like flight attendants—who are rightfully experiencing disabling anxiety. With layoffs and trauma affecting in-flight service workers, getting airlines on their feet requires more than multi-billion dollar bailouts—occupational hazards can’t be ignored. After four simultaneous hijackings, airline personnel have intolerable stress about getting back to work. Not only must airlines deal with inadequate security, the government must acknowledge its intelligence lapses. Regular passengers will undoubtedly suffer while security officials compensate for dropping the ball. Tightening the grip with metal detectors and more intense searches won’t stop terrorists from slipping though the cracks. “I’m definitely looking for a new career,” said 12-year American airline veteran Eleanor Bell, realizing that her job wouldn’t be the same. “It’s not just out of fear,” said Bell. “I don’t think it’s going to be the same kind of job. The level of service will change. The security will be so much tougher. It’s not going to as fun anymore,” accepting the painful reality that her working conditions have permanently changed. Airport security can’t waste its time on excessive searches of individuals not fitting terrorists’ profiles. Sure everyone’s suspect, but Middle East terrorists definitely fit certain stereotypes. Like it or not, profiling has to be an essential part of security while purchasing tickets and boarding airlines. “The difficulty we must now address is a situation in which all the hijackers are from abroad, from the Middle East and all are Arabic speaking,” said Floyd Abrams, a 1st amendment lawyer in New York and member of Al Gore’s 1997 commission on airport security, now urging profiling. Singing a different tune after Sept. 11, “In those circumstances it seems entirely appropriate to look harder at such people,” Abrams said. “Remember Justice [Robert] Jackson said, ‘the Constitution is not a suicide pact,’” meaning that national security trumps civil liberties. Bin Laden’s legions of programmed assassins are young Islamic zealots, brainwashed to sacrifice their lives in the name of Allah. Clamping down and making life miserable for innocent travelers won’t prevent hijackings without investigating the right suspects. No Westerner fits the profile of the human hand grenades exported from the Middle East. Whether clean shaved, smoking cigarettes or wearing cologne—as their terrorist manual tells them—these deadly automatons speak broken English and mainly Arabic. Law enforcement and security agencies need to take that into consideration when identifying potential terrorists. America dealt with kamikazes in World War II, but the phenomenon of suicide bombers still leave Americans baffled. Even despicable home-grown lunatics like Timothy McVeigh do their utmost to survive and evade detection. Most Middle East suicide bombers are brainwashed to believe that martyrdom is the highest service to Islam. Psychopathic cult masters like Bin Laden cajole and manipulate Islamic youth to serve his killing machine, promising them 72 virgins in the afterlife. His intimidation and maniacal ranting about Islam gives messianic weight to his perverted “jihad,” convincing Muslims that America is trying to exterminate Islam. Using the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and all other means at their disposal, the U.S. must fight and win Bin Laden’s propaganda battle. As The White House considers abridging civil liberties for national security, they should make every effort not to harass law-abiding U.S. citizens. Simply beefing up existing security won’t deal with high-risk terrorism suspects. Like other cataclysms, the U.S. hopefully won’t see another attack of this kind for some time. Now scrambling like cockroaches, Bin Laden’s henchmen are on the run, despite complaints of racial profiling and violations of civil liberties. Law enforcement knows the profiles of suspected terrorists and they shouldn’t single out ordinary Americans with the same degree of scrutiny. Yes, differential treatment is needed to harass and root out, not responsible citizens but individuals fitting the profile of terrorists. Declaring war on America, Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terror organization also declared war on innocent Muslims trying to practice their faith in a land where freedom of religion is guaranteed. No phony religious ideology justifying mass murder and destruction can hide hate and insanity. As President Bush said, America will either bring Bin Laden to justice or bring justice to Bin Laden—hopefully sooner rather than later. About the Author John M. Curtis is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He’s director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in political consulting and strategic public relations. He’s the author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma. |
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till numb from Sept. 11, America’s slowly getting back on its feet—but it isn’t easy. Hoisting Old Glory back to full staff at a White House flagpole, President George W. Bush signaled that it’s time for Americans to heal and move on. As he said in his gripping Sept. 20 address to Congress, America’s grief turned to anger, and anger has now turned to resolve. With Osama bin Laden putting a dagger in the recession-prone economy, businesses could ill-afford a broad consumer retreat. Unable to shake off the trauma from the devastating terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, Americans recoiled into their shells—reluctant to return to normal lives. Even New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani pleaded with New Yorkers to get out and support the once bustling metropolis. Without returning to everyday routines—shopping, entertainment and dining—the prospects of recovering crushing losses seem remote. Sifting through the carnage and twisted rubble, tireless relief workers show granite-like courage. It’s now time for consumers to climb out of their shells and do their part. Still numb, New Yorkers—and indeed all Americans—must recover and get back to living without fear.|
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