As shock of WTC attacks fade, can US maintain war support at home?

10/23/01 | Doctor Freeze

[Doctor Freeze]

I am concerned that as time dilutes the shock that we all experienced on 9/11/01, support for the war on terrorism will begin to waver. More importantly, I know that the Democrats will eventually try to take advantage of this to criticize and undermine President Bush (don't let them fool you -- their #1 objective is still political gain).

How do we prevent this? I think the networks should continue to show the hijacked planes crashing into the WTC. We need to keep this fresh in the minds of all Americans so that we don't forget why we are at war in the Middle East.

Any other thoughts or opinions?

[kingh99]

I think the enemy will make sure we don't stray from the subject too long. Are they breaking the thumbs of those detainees yet?

[eFudd]

Make sure the war keeps a human face.

Regular bios and pictures of WTC victims and Anthrax victims posted and sent to newspapers would be one way.

[mercy]

What WTC attack? You mean that movie they ran over and over again on all the cable channels?

[Doctor Stochastic]

Perhaps the public schools could have a two minute hate drill every morning after singing the national anthem.

[lavaroise]

Maintain war support? As if the fat a$$ welfare college, business, and welfare people in general of the US of A were burdened by war while our soldiers are getting killed underpaid lifing most of the burden! Think about the nonsense of the question: "Can we keep paying US soldiers for our own protection or just go back like in old times, rubbing shoulders with the Jiangs and Talebans?"

Are people nuts? Time to kick up the war effort.

[Sabertooth]

"I am concerned that as time dilutes the shock that we all experienced on 9/11/01, support for the war on terrorism will begin to waver."

Andrew Sullivan...

What happened in America this past week is epochal...

In the past, the doctrine has been that the United States will use nuclear weapons in response to the use of germ warfare against its army - let alone its citizens, let alone the citadel of its democracy. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has pointedly refused to rule out such a possibility....

The reason why escalation is probable is not the rashness of the Bush administration which remains almost surreally calm and measured. It isn't even that no government could tolerate such an attack without unleashing all its might on the enemy. The reason is the mood of the American people. Shock has turned to grief has turned to numbness has turned to anger. This anger is real and it is growing.

...and growing.

[mercy]

It's gonna take more than that. Out here in the bowells of America where beer thirty starts right after noon and the women add fifteen or twenty pounds per decade ... there ain't no war. It's just a distant irrelevancy. The only thing they'll sit up and take notice of is.... not really anything I want to even think about. It would have to be massive and close to home. New York just didn't count.

[jb54tx]

I fly my flag on both our cars, 2 flags on our house, one in front & one in the back by the garage, flag pins on my shirts collars & sports jackets; I also dept a copy of the Houston Chronicle sunday edition of the WTC towers smoking & burning with the freeze frame shot of the other jet just before it struck the second tower.... I also bring up in conversation with people as I go here & there just to keep it fresh in folks minds....

[Basil Duke]

Regular contemplation of the pictures of World Trade Center victims clustered hopelessly out the windows of the floors located above the impact area do it for me, as well as images of those souls who chose to leap to their deaths rather than burn alive.

[SunStar]

Support remains solid at 88%. The sheeple aren't going back to sleep on this one...

[jalisco555]

Support remains solid at 88%. The sheeple aren't going back to sleep on this one...

Agreed. Major, permanent attitude change in this country. We've barely begun to appreciate the implications.

[p. henry]

When you think we may forget, think about what happened to 5,000 people as two buildings, each a thousand feet high, were reduced to a pile of concrete and steel 100 feet high.

When you think we may forget, think about the two year old girl from Boston, who thought she was safe as she sat between her parents while unspeakable barbarians flew her into a building at 500 miles per hour.

[Theresa]

I am not at all worried that support will wane. Nobody is going to forget WTC. We have been told the truth by our government that this is going to last for years and the polls are still 88% for the war. The 88% understands that we just do not have choice. It is us or them.

[Hans Moleman]

Most Americans have an attention span of about 2 minutes so you can bet they ... what were we discussing?

[Destructor]

Duh! They're still attacking us!! Ever heard of Anthrax!?! Time to check the batteries in your shortwave radio!!!

[Star Traveler]

How do we prevent this? I think the networks should continue to show the hijacked planes crashing into the WTC. We need to keep this fresh in the minds of all Americans so that we don't forget why we are at war in the Middle East.

I don't think you have to be concerned about keeping this perception at a high level. It seems to be there, already, with the Anthrax attack going on.

And also, do you think this was a "one-time thing" -- that World Trade Building destruction? My goodness -- from what I see (and from what the Vice President said), this war will outlive this generation. You seem to have an attitude that this was a one-time thing and that nothing else is going to happen. I'll guarantee you, that won't be the case. We'll be seeing more.

So, the problem really is not keeping attention at a high level -- it is rather trying to prevent too many deaths because of all the subsequent attacks coming over the next several years and decade.