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Sunday, September 16, 2001Hi! On Friday, New York started to jump back into stride. Traffic returned, clogging up the streets and honking at each other, and people started arguing with each other on the subway again, so perhaps all will soon be well with the world again. Like most New Yorkers, we've spent many days alternating between catching the horror on TV and radio, calling the jammed Red Cross/various hospital center lines (10% - 20% of the city's phone lines were knocked out) and going from place to place trying desperately to volunteer someplace to do something for someone! What a bizarre dilemma! A surfeit of riches. More blood and personnel than they can handle. All Police, Fire and Red Cross points have been "swamped" and "overwhelmed" (their words) by so many people trying to help. But, alas, there really is nothing for these thousands of people to do. Most of us think in terms of the pictures we've seen of earthquake damage, where buildings have collapsed and all they need is more hands to dig all the rubble away quicker to get to the poor souls who are trapped inside, fighting valiantly for life. A pretty notion, which does not apply here. Ground Zero is an extremely dangerous area at this point. You can see from pictures that it is thousands of tons of twisted, shifting steel, glass and concrete. Each floor weighed tons, and there were 220 of them, plus seven levels below ground. The air in the area is potentially deadly and the buildings around the site are compromised and possibly ready to crumble. They fear for the trained professionals. They are keenly aware that they've already lost a staggering number of their brothers. They are not about to let amateurs run around, hurting themselves and others. Very smart move. Many of us have realized that one way that we can help here is to be there when everything calms down and the cameras and host of grandstanding relief agency lifers pack up and go away. Part of our own Post Traumatic Stress experience from our house fire this year is the knowledge that it is a relief when grandstanders leave, and how utterly alone that time is when caring, supportive people naturally begin to refocus on their own lives. If we can't pull girders off the pile, at least we can be there to listen when people attempt to understand what's not understandable. One particularly depressing note is that there actually were very few people using the hospitals since very few people were injured. You either got out and away from the buildings or you died. Very few casualties. Many fatalities. The bulk of the wounded who came into the ERs and triage units were rescue personnel with injuries consistent with climbing over sharp, twisted debris. Also prevalent have been eye problems (corneal abrasions, mostly) from the asbestos and fiberglass in the air down there now. My pride in this city, and by extension, this country knows no bounds. The outpouring of support, prayers and love from around the country and the world is mind-boggling. But New York is proud that, once again, we've been able to show the world how truly great this city is. How we speak, think, cry, work and act as one. This city where no one looks like anybody else. Perhaps there is a God, after all. There are a couple of things that people outside of New York can do to help us at this point. One, come here and buy. Anything, everything. Online, find New York companies to buy from. At this point, we'll sell you everything but the Brooklyn Bridge to help resuscitate our shattered economy. And even the Bridge if the price is right! Tell people to buy stocks and bonds. The largest industry hit was financial services. Help them recover by giving them something to do. Help the Equity markets recover and grow. Get money moving through the system again. If the markets go up, there's more money to rebuild with. We need to provide jobs for all of the people whose offices and stores have evaporated. We rebuilt Berlin and Tokyo, New York should be easy—no language barrier (basically). Second, it is critical in these insane times for everyone to demand brilliance of thought and strategy on the part of our leaders; not the current mindless sabre-rattling that removes our advantage. It is critical for everyone to spread the word of reason to everyone they know. Voices are rising in this country for blood lust. But any war we wage will have no end. It will be fought on our soil as well as any other. It will be protracted, costing obscene numbers of civilian lives many times greater than the WTC attack. You now see Peace Sign buttons on the streets of New York City as well as flags. And we were the ones hit, remember. We know what this all means, now. We must force ourselves to look at the pictures of the bereft family members as well as the Old Glory flag photos making the rounds. More of the former is what we are facing. The rest of the country and the world must heed the lesson of New York City: E pluribus unum. From many, one. As one, we seek and will find justice. As one, we do not descend into hatred. As one, we survive. Remember to hug someone today, particularly someone who does not look like you. Peace, E. J.
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