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Posted on 10/09/2002 5:27:02 PM PDT by Congressman Billybob
What-If Politics of Flight 93
By John Armor
This much we know: United Flight 93 was hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001. Terrorists flying the plane turned it back toward Washington to use it as a flying bomb against the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was in session. By then, the terrorists probably had cut the throats of the flight crew.
Using cell phones, the passengers discovered that two other hijacked planes had been flown into the World Trade Center twin towers. The passengers realized their plane was intended for a similar fate; they and many others would die if they did nothing.
Led by four big men, the passengers and stewardesses rushed the cockpit to take back control. They used the only "weapons" they had — strength, commitment, a beverage cart and pots of boiling water. The chilling evidence of the cockpit voice recording tells us that they did make it into the cockpit. Before that, one of the last things heard from the plane was Todd Beamer's exhortation to the others: "Let's roll." The plane crashed in a lonely field in Shanksville, Pa., during this struggle.
There is a simple way to challenge those who claim that the United States should not act at all, or should not act now, against terrorist threats in the future. Ask this question: What would you have done if you were on Flight 93?
Like Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations: Would you have sought the agreement of all nationalities aboard Flight 93 before you did anything? Negotiated with the ambassador of the terrorists? If you could not get an agreement, would you just have sat in your seat and waited to die?
Like the editors, reporters and columnists of the New York Times: Would you have concluded that the evidence wasn't clear? That Beamer hadn't "made his case"? That no one had proved the "alleged" terrorists were going to kill everyone? Would you have pulled out your laptop to write the story, sitting in your seat, waiting to die?
Like Tom Daschle, majority leader of the U.S. Senate: Would you have said it's too early to make a decision now? Politics should not be involved? Let's wait until we hear from the United Nations to rush the cockpit? Or, "I want to be the man in charge, not Todd Beamer"? Would you have sat in your seat, waiting to die?
Like the leaders of the European Union: Would you have said this is an American plane, not a European one? Unless European airlines are involved, this is not my problem? Would you have grumbled about the quality of the food, the vintage of the wine and the arrogance of the American passengers? Would you have blamed U.S. foreign policy for your plight and sat in your seats waiting to die?
Like the leaders of France: No need to pose the question. You are cheese-eating surrender monkeys. Next.
Like Muslims in America: Would you have exchanged greetings with your "brothers"? Accepted their apologies for the unfortunate need for your sacrifice? Said with them, "Allah Akbar!" and asked to go to the cockpit for a good view of the "glorious strike against the infidels"?
Like CBS newsman Dan Rather: Would you have said, "This story isn't all about me"? That it's important to understand the grievances of the terrorists? Would you have asked your cameraman to set up so you could interview a hijacker? Tried to borrow Beamer's cell phone for the important business of patching through to the news desk? Imagined the glory of saying on live television, "This is Dan Rather, reporting from close to Ground Zero"? Resented the passengers for cheating you out of this once-in-a-lifetime scoop?
Like the Founders of America: No need to ask you the question. In the final paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, signed under the threat of being hanged by the neck until dead as traitors to King George III, you pledged your "lives, fortunes and sacred honor" to the cause of America. That's answer enough.
Like the readers of this column: I have no doubt about you, either. You would have acted like Beamer and the others — reached your family, told them what's happening and said, "I love you." Then joined him and the others in the effort to save the plane and all on the ground who were the targets of the terrorists. You would have known full well that the task was nearly impossible. But you would have done it anyway.
This is a very simple question. This is the secret of "the politics of Flight 93." In your own mind, ask this of all possible leaders — in public office, in the media, wherever. The answers that you believe they would give could define both America's future and their worthiness to be our leaders in these perilous times.
What would you have done if you were on Flight 93?
John Armor is an author and attorney. His forthcoming book is titled, These Are The Times That Try Men's Souls.
I would have wet my pants. I can only hope I would have been as brave as those souls.If the passengers on Fl. 93 had been of a different type - say the Susan Sontag Book Club or the UC Berkeley Debating Team - the White House or Capitol would be a heap of smoking ruins now.
This is a terrible thing to say, but I would trade either WTC tower for the Capitol. I think our country would be far better off.
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My eighth book, These are the times that try men's souls, is on Thomas Paine. Subtitle is: "America -- Then & Now / In the Words of Tom Paine." The illustrations are by Olga Calco, a brilliant artist who received her training as an architect in her native Russia. She is married to a colleague of mine in Virginia, and they have three children.
That book will, I hope, come out by 19 April, 2003. That would be appropriate, since the cover art shows the Minuteman Statue in front of Lexington Green, and the battles of Lexington and Concord took place on 19 April, 1776.
Congressman Billybob
Click for "Oedipus and the Democrats"
So, don't give me credit where credit isn't due. That phrase is so common that it is no longer used with quotation marks. Like, "Let sleeping dogs lie," "It depends on whose ox is gored," and "Stop beating around the bush," which are all from Miguel Cervantes, 350 years ago, but are so common that few people know they are quotes.
Billybob
The passengers rushed the man, grabbed him and threw him off the bus. He blew himself up, killing one Israeli standing at the bus stop and slightly wounding a dozen others.
If not for the quick thinking of the bus passengers and the driver who slammed the door shut so that the terrorist could not attempt to re-board, a major massacre was prevented.
The loss of even one innocent life is a tragedy, of course. But what would have happened if this was a U.S. bus? Would the would-be bomber complain to the media and sue the bus company and all the passengers for "racial profiling" and "discrimination"?
Great article BTW.
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