As news unfolds about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, one of the most disturbing aspects (aside from the fact terrorists used our own planes to crash into our buildings) is that they lived among us.
They dressed in traditional "Western" garb and assimilated into our culture without a hitch. In some cases, the terrorists made small talk with neighbors. But another lived in an apartment complex where he promptly paid his rent every month and was barely noticed — exactly as the operative manual, "Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants," instructs its terrorists. Ironically, that was the beauty of our communities, in a way. You could fit in quietly and go about your business without being bothered, or you could stand out and get involved in your community.
Our hectic-paced lifestyle was no secret to the terrorists who obviously picked up on the fact that many of us don’t know the names of the people who live next door to us. Of course, we knew that about ourselves before Sept. 11. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam examined that aspect of our society more than a year ago in his book, "Bowling Alone." While part of being free includes the freedom to live quietly and away from others, there’s a hefty price tag that comes with people being alienated from each other and the loss of community — greater crime rates, poorer health, terrible loneliness, the list goes on. It seems none of us knew just how hefty that price tag was until now.
The city of Everett has many strong neighborhood groups that meet regularly and get involved in local issues. Marian Krell, director of the office of neighborhoods has a theory about why people get involved in neighborhood groups. "There are not many places where people gather any more," particularly across the age groups, Krell said. "It’s pretty easy in this society to remain anonymous."
The city had three neighborhood group meetings scheduled the day of the attack and, though at least one which met at a local school had to be cancelled at the last minute, the normal turnout showed up anyway. In just the last week, the number of calls to Krell’s office from people moving into the area and wanting to learn about their neighborhoods, has jumped considerably.
It seems likely people will get to know their neighbors a little better now as a result of the attacks. And that should be encouraged. But let’s make sure we get involved in our community and reach out to our neighbors for the right reasons — out of kindness and concern, not paranoia and fear. We must all strike a balance that includes being responsibly aware of who lives near us and genuinely reaching out to others.
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