The Courage And Capacity To Endure

Despite the economic challenges of the present day, the America of 2013 is an amazing place. The information revolution has changed the way all of us live, mostly for the better. Medical technology is moving forward in leaps and bounds. Every day legions of inventors and entrepreneurs work to try to find ways to make life easier and more productive.

Yes, there are myriad problems, but most Americans have more hope in their hearts than despair. However, when terrorist incidents occur, fear quickly replaces optimism and people begin to ask the compelling question: Are we safe?

For the record, this author believes that, in the aggregate, we are - despite the many threats we face - relatively safe. Make no mistake; horrific incidents like the one in Boston are unsettling. It is a fact, however, that since September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the number of deaths from terrorism in the U.S. have declined.

It is also worth noting that terrorism has long been a part of our nation’s history. In the early 20th century, anarchists routinely used explosives as tools to achieve their goals. Anyone alive in the 1960s will remember the Weathermen and other radical groups that used terrorist acts, including bombs, to make their points. Closer to the present day, anyone who one can recall the heinous acts of individuals such as Timothy McVeigh and Ted Kaczynski and the horrors of 9/11 will forever understand the havoc and chaos that terrorist actions can inflict on a society.

However, despite this parade of terrorist horrors, our nation has not only survived but continued to thrive. This is a testament to the toughness and resiliency of the American people. Events like what happened in Boston do indeed bring out the best in us. Unfortunately, they also have the potential to bring out the worst.

I believe one thing we as a society should assiduously avoid at times like these is the propensity to begin to judge people not by what they do but by who they are. For centuries, huge numbers of our countrymen judged African Americans and others as inferior based on their skin color. After Pearl Harbor, we herded hordes of innocent Japanese American citizens into camps because they happened to look like the enemy. Sadly, today we see these same kinds of misguided attitudes and prejudices used against those of the Islamic faith.

That kind of thinking to my mind is counterproductive. We need to keep our heads about us and logically assess the challenges we face. Too many Americans have come to the conclusion that our nation is engaged in a holy war against Islam that requires us to kill or be killed. Such hysteria brings back memories of the 1950s, when a variety of crack-pots were fond of finding communists under every bed.

Our goal as Americans should be to avoid engaging in hateful acts against innocent people and to continue to use our intelligence, resources and courage to defeat terrorism, whether it is foreign or homegrown.

Finally, as noted, the reason the terrorists failed in the past is the same reason that they will ultimately fail in the end, namely that Americans have an uncanny ability to endure. The Roman poet Virgil once noted that “Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance.” He was so right. The challenges presented by terrorism are immense. We will not win every battle, but in the end I believe, to quote FDR, that “The American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory.”