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Josef Raab Lecture 3: United We Stand? 1. The Revived Slogan: United We Stand 1. The Revived Slogan: United We Stand • Origins: John Dickinson wrote an anti‐British, pro‐ American song called “The Liberty Song,” in 1768: …Then join hand in hand Brave Americans all, By uniting we stand, By dividing we fall. • subsequent use in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWII, and other conflicts • often in combination with “divided we fall” Patriotic campaigns after Pearl Harbor 1. The Revived Slogan: United We Stand • surge of patriotism after the initial shock • initially only moderate criticism of President Bush • international proclamations of solidarity • bi‐partisan proclamations of a common cause 1. The Revived Slogan: United We Stand

U.S. Muslims in Pasadena on Sept. 13, 2001 sing "” at an interfaith memorial service for victims of the 9/11 attacks. 2. “United We Stand” in Congress

Members of Congress singing “God Bless America”: God Bless America

‐‐ (in 2001): God Bless America, http://www.youtube.com/watch Land that I love. ?v=Izb459vJ‐8Q Stand beside her, and guide her (spontaneous expression of Thru the night with a light from above. defiance and endurance, “a remarkable tableau of political From the mountains, to the prairies, unity”) To the oceans, white with foam God bless America, my home sweet ‐‐ (in 2011): home. http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=CKXCuDyQ9Ok (patriotic fervor, celebration of (Irving Berlin, 1938) the nation’s icons) 3. “United We Stand” on TV David Letterman in The Late Show, September 17, 2001 •Can one go back to work or to ‘business as usual’ after “the attacks”? •Rudy Giuliani as a role model: “the personification of courage” •“irritated, angry, full of grief” Æ “Be courageous!” •“New York’s finest and New York’s bravest” •fundraising rally in Montana: “the spirit of the United States” •“ is the greatest city in the world.” •http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As6fZtz5oC4 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …in the normal course of events, presidents come to this chamber to report on the state of the union. Tonight, no such report is needed; it has already been delivered by the American people. We have seen it in the courage of passengers who rushed terrorists to save others on the ground. Passengers like an exceptional man named Todd Beamer. And would you please help me welcome his wife Lisa Beamer here tonight? We have seen the state of our union in the endurance of rescuers working past exhaustion. We've seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers in English, Hebrew and Arabic. We have seen the decency of a loving and giving people who have made the grief of strangers their own. My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for itself the state of union, and it is strong. Tonight, we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done. 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country. Americans have known wars, but for the past 136 years they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941. Americans have known the casualties of war, but not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning. Americans have known surprise attacks, but never before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day, and night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack. Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking, ``Who attacked our country?'' The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda. They are some of the murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and responsible for bombing the USS Cole. Al Qaeda is to terror what the Mafia is to crime. But its goal is not making money, its goal is remaking the world and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere. The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics; a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam. 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them. Our war on terror begins with Al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated. Americans are asking ``Why do they hate us?'' They hate what they see right here in this chamber: a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self‐appointed. They hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other. 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom. We ask every nation to join us. We will ask and we will need the help of police forces, intelligence service and banking systems around the world. The United States is grateful that many nations and many international organizations have already responded with sympathy and with support‐‐ nations from Latin America to Asia to Africa to Europe to the Islamic world. Perhaps the NATO charter reflects best the attitude of the world: An attack on one is an attack on all. The civilized world is rallying to America's side. They understand that if this terror goes unpunished, their own cities, their own citizens may be next. Terror unanswered can not only bring down buildings, it can threaten the stability of legitimate governments. And you know what? We're not going to allow it. 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …I ask you to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with your contributions. Those who want to give can go to a central source of information, Libertyunites.org, to find the names of groups providing direct help in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. … And finally, please continue praying for the victims of terror and their families, for those in uniform and for our great country. Prayer has comforted us in sorrow and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead. Tonight I thank my fellow Americans for what you have already done and for what you will do. And ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, I thank you, their representatives, for what you have already done and for what we will do together. Tonight we face new and sudden national challenges. We will to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on domestic flights and take new measures to prevent hijacking. We will come together to … 4. “United We Stand”: The President George W. Bush, “Address to the Nation,” September 20, 2001: …As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror. This will be an age of liberty here and across the world. Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great hope of every time, now depends on us. Our nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail. … Fellow citizens, we'll meet violence with patient justice, assured of the rightness of our cause and confident of the victories to come. In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom and may he watch over the United States of America. 5. “United We Stand”: The Concerts “United We Stand: What The Star‐Spangled Banner More Can I Give” Concert O say, can you see, in Washington, D.C., Oct. By the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d 21, 2001 At the twilight's last gleaming? • Whose broad stripes and bright one of three major stars, concerts in tribute to the Through the perilous fight, victims of 9/11 (the other O’er the ramparts we watch’d, Were so gallantly streaming? two in NYC) And the rockets’ red glare, •Opening by the The bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night : That our flag was still there. http://www.youtube.co O say, does that star‐spangled m/watch?v=bwRHH3CYyj banner yet wave O’er the land of the free 0 And the home of the brave? 5. “United We Stand”: The Concerts “United We Stand: What More Can I Give” Concert in How many people will have to die before we will take a stand Washington, D.C., Oct. 21, How many children will have to cry, 2001 before we do all we can If sending your love is all you can give •: speech To help one live, mmm http://www.youtube.com/ How many times can we turn our heads And pretend we cannot see watch?v=_qBxpJVzLh8 Healing the wounds of our broken earth • We are one global family Closing: Michael Jackson & Just sending your prayers Friends, “What More Can I Is something you feel Helping one heal Give” What have I can give http://www.youtube.com/ … watch?v=IkRDozfX‐xI&NR=1 Say the words, I'll lay me down for you Just call my name, I am your friend See then why do they keep teaching us Such hate and cruelty We should give over and over again … 6. “United We Stand”: “State of the Union Address”

George W. Bush, “State of the Union Address,” January 29, 2002: Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished guests, fellow citizens, as we gather tonight, our nation is at war, our economy is in recession and the civilized world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger. We last met in an hour of shock and suffering. In four short months, our nation has comforted the victims, begun to rebuild New York and the Pentagon, rallied a great coalition, captured, arrested and rid the world of thousands of terrorists, destroyed Afghanistan's terrorist training camps, saved a people from starvation and freed a country from brutal oppression. … Our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in the pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will shut down terrorist camps, disrupt terrorist plans, and bring terrorists to justice. And, second, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical, biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and the world. 6. “United We Stand”: “State of the Union Address” George W. Bush, “State of the Union Address,” January 29, 2002: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpXpxixwwEo&feature=player_detailpage ‐ t=348s … The last time I spoke here, I expressed the hope that life would return to normal. In some ways, it has. In others, it never will. Those of us who have lived through these challenging times have been changed by them. We've come to know truths that we will never question: evil is real, and it must be opposed. Beyond all differences of race or creed, we are one country, mourning together and facing danger together. Deep in the American character, there is honor, and it is stronger than cynicism. And many have discovered again that even in tragedy—especially in tragedy—God is near. In a single instant, we realized that this will be a decisive decade in the history of liberty, that we've been called to a unique role in human events. Rarely has the world faced a choice more clear or consequential. Our enemies send other people's children on missions of suicide and murder. They embrace tyranny and death as a cause and a creed. We stand for a different choice, made long ago, on the day of our founding. We affirm it again today. We choose freedom and the dignity of every life. Steadfast in our purpose, we now press on. We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. And in this great conflict, my fellow Americans, we will see freedom's victory. 7. “United We Stand” at the Oscars Academy Awards Ceremony, Hollywood, March 24, 2002 •Opening monologue by Tom Cruise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb0KYB3Z8Ws&featur e=related •“Should we celebrate the joy and magic that moves bring? …More than ever!” •“it brings us all together, that little bit of magic”

Woody Allen: •“the terrible events that have occurred in New York over the last year” •“the Academy wanted to show support …, paying tribute to movies that had been shot in New York over the years” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8YaMwUumII 8. Excluded from “United We Stand” Ethan Fosse and Nathan Fosse, “United We Stand? The Effect of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks on Ethnic Boundary Formation” •“… with regard to inter‐racial symbolic boundaries, European‐ Americans did not feel closer to any other racial groups after 9/11. This contrasts with African‐Americans, who reported feeling much closer toward European‐Americans and, to a lesser extent, Hispanic‐ Americans. …There was also no change in beliefs in stereotypes of blacks after 9/11.”

Andrea Elliott, “After 9/11, Arab‐Americans Fear Police Acts, Study Finds,” , June 12, 2006: •“In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Arab‐Americans have a greater fear of racial profiling and immigration enforcement than of falling victim to hate crimes, according to a national study financed by the Justice Department. …Both Arab‐American community leaders and law enforcement officials interviewed in the study said that cooperation between both groups had suffered from a lack of trust.” 9. Critique of the Government Susan Sontag (essayist and cultural critic): •“the self‐righteous drivel and outright deceptions being peddled by public figures and TV commentators” •“a campaign to infantilize the public” •“an attack on the world’s self‐proclaimed superpower, undertaken as a consequence of specific American alliances and actions” •“We have a robotic President who assures us that America still stands tall.” •“The unanimity of the sanctimonious, reality‐concealing rhetoric spouted by American officials and media commentators in recent days seems, well, unworthy of a mature democracy.” 9. Critique of the Government The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): “Freedom under Fire: Dissent in Post‐9/11 America,” May 8, 2003: There is a pall over our country. In separate but related attempts to squelch dissent, the government has attacked the patriotism of its critics, police have barricaded and jailed protesters, and the New York Stock Exchange has revoked the press credentials of the most widely watched television network in the Arab world. A chilling message has gone out across America: Dissent if you must, but proceed at your own risk. Government‐sanctioned intolerance has even trickled into our private lives. People brandishing anti‐war signs or slogans have been turned away from commuter trains in Seattle and suburban shopping malls in upstate New York. Cafeterias are serving "freedom fries." stations stopped playing Dixie Chicks songs, and the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelled an event featuring "Bull Durham" stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, after they spoke out against the war on Iraq. 10. Jay McInerney, The Good Life (2006) MyInerney’s answer to the theory that one cannot write fiction about 9/11: “As a novelist who considers New York his proper subject, I didn't see how I could avoid confronting the most important and traumatic event in the history of the city, unless I wanted to write historical novels. I almost abandoned the book several times, and often wondered whether it wasn't foolish to create a fictional universe that encompassed the actual event —whether my invention wouldn't be overwhelmed and overshadowed by the actual catastrophe. At the very least, certain forms of irony and social satire in which I'd trafficked no longer seemed useful. I felt as if I was starting over and I wasn't sure I could.” 10. Jay McInerney, The Good Life (2006) • Difficult relationships: • Corrine Calloway, 42, mother of twins, is unhappy with her husband, Russell’s, earnings and her sister’s promiscuity. She is unsuccessfully trying to get her screenplay produced. • Sasha McGavock cannot understand why her husband, Luke, has left his lucrative position as an investment banker to write a book about Japanese samurai movies. • Both couples lose a friend in the attacks on the WTC. • Corrine and Luke wind up working the night shift together at a soup kitchen on Bowling Green, providing food and coffee to National Guard, police, and construction workers laboring at ground zero. Increasingly, their volunteer work becomes an excuse to meet. • Their conversations increasingly block out any reference to the attacks and victims. (Denial) 10. Jay McInerney, The Good Life (2006) • The action starts in the late summer of 2001. At that time both couples live “the good life” of financial security and material possessions. • The circles in which Corrine and Luke move sometimes intersect with those of the rich and famous. • There is a steady flow of brand names in the novel. (Affluence) • New Yorkers open up right after the catastrophe, but soon put up their guards again. 10. Jay McInerney, The Good Life (2006) • Both couples are estranged by the beginning of the novel. Luke’s wife and Corrine’s husband are having affairs. They lead lives of understimulation and overcomfort. • Luke had a breakfast appointment in the WTC on Sept. 11. He canceled but his friend did not get the cancellation and died in the attacks. • The novel’s question: How are the lives of affluent New Yorkers affected by 9/11? • The attacks and their aftermath uncover the shallowness of the characters’ previous lives. • 9/11 brings unity for a while but not an ultimate reorientation of the characters 10. Jay McInerney, The Good Life (2006) • 133‐34: the thrill of relief work. United? • 135‐36: loss and the impulse to “cling together” • 140: the surreal beauty and complexity of the “mass grave” • (145): fight at the deli. No “United We Stand.” • 148‐49: the “fiction” of “the missing” • 156: death and “intimacy” • 159: Will “this new apocalypse” change the characters in a lasting manner? • 164‐65: putting life into perspective; fear of the future • 176‐77, 179‐80: Does 9/11 change relationships? Can it be “a fresh start”? • ch. 20: wish to escape “all of this shit”