On this day in 2001, a firefighter stands atop a fire truck in the middle of the World Trade Center’s smoldering remains. Bob Beckwith was retired, but he’d volunteered to help after the 9-11 attacks.
Now Beckwith hoped to catch a glimpse of the President, who was scheduled to visit. He looked at a command post that had been set up nearby. Surely the President would use that? He figured his spot atop the fire truck would give him a clear view.
Just then, a Secret Service agent walked up, asking about the truck. Was it stable? Beckwith responded in the affirmative, then jumped up and down, as requested, to demonstrate that the truck would not move.
“Look, there’s somebody coming over here,” the agent said, apparently satisfied, “and when they do, you help them up and then you get down.”
Beckwith sighed inwardly, figuring his nice view was gone, but he was ready to help.
You can imagine his astonishment when the President of the United States approached and held up an arm. “I pulled him up on the rig; I turned him around. I said, ‘Are you OK, Mr. President? He said, ‘Yeah.’ So, I start to get down, and he said, ‘Where you going?’ I said, ‘I was told to get down.’ He said, ‘Oh no, you stay right here.’ And he put his arm around me.”
The speech that followed was one for the history books. As President Bush stood atop the fire truck, surrounded by first responders, he used a bullhorn to address the crowd.
The scene was confused, and it was hard to hear what Bush was saying. One responder yelled out: “We can’t hear you!” Bush responded promptly—and loudly: “I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!”
The crowd broke into raucous cheers: “U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”
Our country was reeling, yet the best of the American spirit was on full display. We weren’t red vs. blue, southerners vs. northerners, or urban vs. rural. We were simply Americans, united in our efforts to overcome the terrible thing that had just happened.
“What on Earth unites the Americans in such a way?” one Romanian marveled. He was stunned and noted that Americans had immediately rushed to help each other. “After the first moments of panic,” he wrote, “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 . . . . On every occasion, they started singing: ‘God Bless America!’”
Fast forward to this week: A major sporting event refuses to play the national anthem—in New York City! On the day before 9-11! Monday’s memorial ceremonies go unattended. People are divided, angry, cynical.
What has happened? Where’s the unity? Can the divisiveness be fixed?
My history stories don’t usually turn personal, but this one will. I’m someone who has studied the Electoral College. Our presidential election system requires coalition-building, which, in turn, supports the unity vital to the health of our country. Unfortunately, no one seems to care. Too many are fixated on getting their own way—or getting their own candidate in office. A “my way or the highway” attitude is too prevalent.
Ironically, the failure to focus on coalition building makes it harder to win.
There is more to say about unity than just the Electoral College. I have no quick and easy answers to get us back on track; however, I do know that we need to start talking (& listening!) to each other again, without judgment. In that spirit, I’d love to hear your (civil) thoughts, below, on where we go from here.
What do YOU think will restore unity in this great country of ours?
Primary Sources:
Cornel Nistorescu, Ode to America (reprinted HERE)
Frank Eltman, AP Interview: Bullhorn firefighter’s famous moment (Seattle Times; Sept. 11, 2011)
Jess Wisloski, Firefighter tells story behind iconic moment with George W. Bush (Yahoo!; Sept. 2, 2011)
Mike Gavin, 9/11 fireman Bob Beckwith recalls standing beside President Bush during Ground Zero speech (NBC New York; Sept. 11, 2023)
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