NOT KNOWING
Not knowing is one of man's main cares and concerns these days.
The nature of the enemy which haunts us these days has already manifested itself more than adequately in the costly events of September 11th and constant, although admirably controlled, fears or anxieties concerning the possibility of additional attacks of a like nature are with us each day and night
.
Waiting, and not knowing exactly what to expect or how long it will be, is a terrible thing to face day after day.. .even more, I think, at night.
It is something that affects all peoples, too. Many citizens of foreign lands are concerned. They know, as we do, that the insult and injury sustained by the Unite States in New York City and in northern Virginia at the Pentagon building, cannot be ignored. The perpetrators of such deeds must be sought out and punished, and we all know so little about what is being done We know that is a task we all face,. there are other hot spots which need attention if peace is to be maintained with any hope of even a partial tenure of our affairs for years to come. We, here in America, are worried about what may happen. So are many people overseas, who wonder to what extent we may go to revenge the actions take against us. They question our ability to handle the situation, too.
The situation is such that the facts need to be controlled for a time as governments act and interact trying to trace the criminals involved. This is understandable to many, but not to all. The greatest danger of the moment is that because of this wise need for confidential action, far too many people may be led to question what is taking place. The vacuum left by a lack of information is speedily filled with the greatest danger of all - rumor. That rumor, too, may be exploited by the very people among us who did this to us. I think much of the disagreement we are hearing at the moment comes from groups of people who are so used to the American sense of openness that they rebel at the least pressure being pot upon them to refrain from total revelation of all governmental actions at all times.
I have been reading a series of personal diaries kept by by people during the later days of the American Civil War - 1864 to be exact - when southern cities were changing hands. News was almost totally lacking. The railroads were running only under limited ways, stage facilities were gone, and the only visitors were military stragglers - hardly the best source of news concerning wartime actions taking place in the area. Some keepers of those wartime diaries tended to record all alike be it truth or rumor. We are in a like situation today and rumor plays a far more important part in the formation of our personal opinion that we think it might.
A fact is not necessarily to be taken as Truth simply because it is said on radio, TV or in print. Read some of the older news magazines from years ago and you can see how we have, at times, warped the very events we were living to make them seem to be something else. We applied certain absolutes, to explain away our cares with hopes of a better future. Right now we are debating about allowing the trials of the accused murderers of the recent northern Virginia, D.C. and Maryland killings
to be shown on TV for all Americans to witness. We are also wondering if the forthcoming war with Iraq - said to be set to start next week “at the latest” - should be telecast in detail or in a controlled manner. Many say :”Yes” Others say “No”.
How much do we need to know at any given time? When does not knowing become of critical importance?
A.L.M. Mar 3, 2003 [c670wds]
