Why are Americans so united? They
would not resemble one another even if you painted them
all one color! They speak all the languages of the world
and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and
religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned
three hundred million people into a hand put on the
heart. Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the
army, and the secret services that they are only a bunch
of losers. Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts.
Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.
The Americans volunteered to donate
blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic,
they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting
on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national
flag. They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in
every place and on every car a government official or
the president was passing. On every occasion they
started singing their traditional song:
"God Bless America!"
I watched the live broadcast and
rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of
the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in
a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the
Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting
with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting
a target that could have killed other hundreds or
thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to
respond united as one human being? Imperceptibly, with
every word and musical note, the memory of some turned
into a modern myth of tragic heroes. And with every
phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put in
a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family,
but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the
Americans in such a way? Their land? Their galloping
history? Their economic Power? Money? I tried for hours
to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases
with the risk of sounding commonplace.
I thought things over, but I
reached only one conclusion...
Only freedom can work such
miracles!
Cornel Nistorescu