tp69.xml
Title
tp69.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2003-02-28
TomPaine Story: Story
The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that in a public relations
move, San Francisco Police Department employees were instructed to answer the phone by saying, ""Hello, this is So-and-So of the SFPD, how may I help you?"" But that's not the story.
The story is that someone voiced concern that the verb ""help"" could be
construed as violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. ""Help"" has
since been replaced by ""assist.""
What does this have to do with the events of 9/11? It demonstrates the
consequences of twisting the helping impulse deeply ingrained in the
American character to suit political agendas - a loathsome form of
exploitation so endemic in public policy that it automatically corrupts
""help"" into something suspected of usurping others' power, often with
tragic consequences.
After 9/11, we all wanted to help. When the boat's sinking is not the
time to debate who bails water, which I think explains the "unprecedented solidarity" of support for George W. Bush. We needed someone to show us what to do. He was what we had. End of story. Most Americans would have supported Karl Marx under the circumstances.
So the Bush administration calmly proceeded to manipulate the public's
helping impulse to create imaginary support for foreign and domestic
policies that generate feelings of powerlessness in our "helpees." What
happens when people feel stepped on? Usually they get angry. They
strike back, if possible. Duh.
If we get nothing else from 9/11, I would like to see the creation of a
slightly less suspicious world - where American help is once again viewed as empowerment not disenfranchisement. I want us to start screaming bloody murder when our own best impulses are perverted to raise some elected official's poll numbers. Our American soul is at stake.
move, San Francisco Police Department employees were instructed to answer the phone by saying, ""Hello, this is So-and-So of the SFPD, how may I help you?"" But that's not the story.
The story is that someone voiced concern that the verb ""help"" could be
construed as violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. ""Help"" has
since been replaced by ""assist.""
What does this have to do with the events of 9/11? It demonstrates the
consequences of twisting the helping impulse deeply ingrained in the
American character to suit political agendas - a loathsome form of
exploitation so endemic in public policy that it automatically corrupts
""help"" into something suspected of usurping others' power, often with
tragic consequences.
After 9/11, we all wanted to help. When the boat's sinking is not the
time to debate who bails water, which I think explains the "unprecedented solidarity" of support for George W. Bush. We needed someone to show us what to do. He was what we had. End of story. Most Americans would have supported Karl Marx under the circumstances.
So the Bush administration calmly proceeded to manipulate the public's
helping impulse to create imaginary support for foreign and domestic
policies that generate feelings of powerlessness in our "helpees." What
happens when people feel stepped on? Usually they get angry. They
strike back, if possible. Duh.
If we get nothing else from 9/11, I would like to see the creation of a
slightly less suspicious world - where American help is once again viewed as empowerment not disenfranchisement. I want us to start screaming bloody murder when our own best impulses are perverted to raise some elected official's poll numbers. Our American soul is at stake.
Collection
Citation
“tp69.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed November 15, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/661.