www.educatingforjustice.org

BY JIM KEADY, EFJ DIRECTOR

I stood this evening on the beach looking up at the American flag flying half-mast atop the Berkley Carteret Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ as the sun was setting in the background, the moment was surreal. It has been nearly 36 hours since a disaster of biblical proportions struck our shores. Terrorists. Like nothing this generation has ever seen. Utter destruction, death, madness, the end of an age. I think about the many times I was away from the U.S. in developing countries. How I might long for the structure, safety and convenience that have been so commonplace in modern America. That was shattered yesterday when two jets slammed into the World Trade Center towers, eventually leveling them and killing thousands. Then another jet, it also used as a weapon of mass destruction, punished the Pentagon, killing over 100. Finally, a fourth plane nose-dived into a field in western Pennsylvania; the belief is that its intended target was the White House. Over 260 dead passengers on the planes alone, victims of a so-called Jihad, victims of a war against U.S. economic and military policy.

Why?

This is the question that will pierce the minds, hearts and souls of billions over the coming hours, days, years. Why did this happen? Why would people do something like this? Why would God let it happen? These are all deep and valid questions.

I hope that when the numbness wears off and the raw feelings that sit below the conscious surface of the American psyche emerge, that vengeance is not the only thought that comes to mind. It is a trying time in our country right now. It is a trying time in the world. But this time of horror-filled desperation is also a time that we are seeing the best of humanity exposed. Thousands are answering the call to volunteer in any way they can. Hundreds of fire fighters and policemen and women rushed into a certain death to attempt to bring others out of the carnage. Countless stories of heroism, selflessness and love for humanity and God are being shown now.

I feel in a way that this event could have been predicted. If we study the stories of the Old Testament and really the stories of history we see a familiar pattern, a faith cycle, so to speak. There are societies or countries that cry out to God for help and alleviation from suffering (think 1930’s USA). God responds by sending them the leaders (kings, prophets, clerics…) they need to get out of the crisis (think FDR). If the community, state, nation stays committed to God and to each other, prosperity will follow (think USA 1950’s). Then, unfortunately, God is forgotten by the community and self-interest becomes the false idol of the masses (think 1980s to the present). This time period is one that is dominated by greed, self-service, and an absolute disregard for the common good. At this point, with such evil being reflected onto the cosmic consciousness on a daily basis, with such a lack of love for God and neighbor, it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes and the wheel on the faith cycle makes its most devastating turn.

Here is how it usually plays out.

1. People in crisis turn to God for help.

2. God responds and calls forth leaders to bring the people back to loving God and loving others. The community prospers.

3. The people become arrogant and think their prosperity is due to their efforts alone. They also want more. Money, power, fame, become the idols of the day. The love of God and others is lost.

4. In a community void of love, a new crisis emerges.

I hope that from the events of the past 36 hours we in America will come to realize that the American way is not about capitalism and profit. The American way is not exemplified by multi-billion dollar executives and multi-million dollar professional athletes and entertainers. It is not about money and power (the two things that were best symbolized by the targets that were hit). The American way is about the common good, solidarity, justice, freedom, and love of God and others. What it truly means to be an American was exemplified by the women and men willing to risk their lives for their fellow human beings on September 11th. What it truly means to be an American is being exemplified by the thousands who are volunteering during this time of crisis and the millions of Americans who are praying and offering support and love to those who are suffering most.

I also hope that we in America will have the courage to consider that our macro-economic and imperialist military policies are what have lead to the intense feelings of anger, hatred and despair that drove the madmen to those heinous acts of terrorism. I know that many believe that “Capitalism is the American Way.” My response to this statement has always been, no it is not. The American way is the way of representative democracy. It is the way of justice, freedom, honor, duty and self-sacrifice for the common good.

In our worst of times, we are seeing the best of America. I pray that in our rebuilding process, we bring ourselves to continue to ask the question why, to analyze the faults in logic and practice of the free-market fundamentalists that lead so many people in so many countries to have a false impression of the American people and where our hearts truly lie. I pray that we make the commitment to ensure that these polices change so that we, the American people, can be proud of how we are represented by our government and business leaders in our global family.