These examples make foreigners seem frightening and the notion of "political correctness" seem outdated. Clearly, we cannot support terrorists, approve of intolerance and hatred, or attempt to negotiate with people who bomb civilians and terrorize a nation. The individuals involved in attacking the United States acted without any regard for human life or common decency. If they provide the alternative to America and its capitalism, America couldn't look better. Of course, regardless of how things appear, kindness and humanity do exist beyond our borders. Countries from around the world have offered the United States sympathy and support in response to Sept. 11, and most people do not in any way support terrorism. Osama bin Laden's own family disowned him in 1994 and no longer has any contact with him.
Terrorists' values represent one small but hateful alternative to the values of the Western world. Their cruelty by no means suggests that our way of life and set of beliefs offer the only humane choices.
Deep down, most people don't despise all people from other countries. They know that the whole world isn't conspiring against us, making bombs, and laughing at our sorrow. They even know that all Muslims and people from the Middle East don't behave this way.
Yet it helps to be reminded of these things in the midst of the barrage of images and stories about terror and destruction. President Bush has tried to make this point since the beginning of the crisis. He's been careful to say that we oppose terrorism, not Muslims or their culture, and that anyone using Islam to support terrorism perverts its values. Though, regardless of how often he makes these statements, we seem to pass them by in favor of messages that offer more personal and immediate solace.
We like to hear about patriotism and justice. We like to watch American flags and its people rise. Understandably, in times of pain and vulnerability, these things feel comfortable, and we are unwilling to forfeit them to empathize with anyone else.
Thankfully, though, patriotism and tolerance can share space. Loving our country and culture doesn't require us to hate all others. We can fly American flags in support of each other, the victims of Sept. 11, the people cleaning up after the attacks and those trying to fight terrorism, rather than as an assertion of our culture's supremacy.
Similarly, we can believe in the bravery and honor of American people without suggesting that every other type of person is lacking.
If we can't do these things, the kids growing up today, being introduced to international politics through violence, have no hope of tolerating other cultures. Many of them can't even read books and don't know the names of the seven continents, but they've heard of Afghanistan, bin Laden and terrorism.
The pictures of Muslims that they see are those suspected of bombing our airplanes. They hear about the location of Afghanistan and the Middle East because that's where the terrorists came from or are hiding out. And the people they see on the news suffering and crying are the ones that look most similar to them. It wouldn't be hard for them to assume the worst about people who are different from us or to think that they can only find safety and kindness close by.
