Across the United States, drivers are attaching yellow or red, white and blue "Remember The Troops" magnetic ribbons to the backs of their vehicles. Though a nice sentiment, it is, unfortunately, the only thing that most Americans are doing to contribute to the war effort.
That needs to change.
President Bush said as much in a speech on Tuesday. "The time of war is a time of sacrifice, especially for our military families," he said at Camp Pendleton, Calif. "I urge every American to find some way to thank our military and to help out the military family down the street."
But the president must go further. He should ask the public to re-examine and broaden its responsibilities as citizens to more fully support the troops and bolster the war against terrorism. Bush portrays himself as a "war president," but the U.S. does not feel like a country at war. Though U.S. forces are on battlefields in Iraq (136 were killed in November alone) and Afghanistan, Americans here at home — with the exception of those in military-base towns — are not on the same wartime footing.
Bush must detail to the public what the war in Iraq and against terrorism entails. In the wake of 9/11, Americans were told to return to their normal lives as quickly as possible. That made sense in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. But it seems to have led to a prevailing attitude that if the American way of life is affected at all, the terrorists win. That mind-set not only ignores the realities of today's world, it also underestimates the public's ability to contribute.
Few responsibilities
At present, little is being asked of the American public. The only mandatory responsibility of citizenship is to pay taxes, and even that has been reduced during the past four years. Last month, slightly more than half of eligible Americans actually took the time to vote.
Currently, almost the entire burden of post-9/11 sacrifices is being borne by the few — the armed forces and their families — while the rest of us take on almost none.
There are individual and private groups organizing efforts to support the troops in a variety of ways. A Defense Department Web site has a list of opportunities for Americans to get involved, www.defenselink.mil/releases/2002/b12122002_bt632-02.html.
To be sure, the war on terrorism may not require the societal mobilization that occurred on the home front during World War II. However, Americans should and would be willing to do more.
As part of the first 100 days of his second term, Bush should enlist the country in projects of common national purpose. For example, there has been little progress made on conserving energy to reduce reliance on Middle East oil.
Further, six in 10 Americans say they are willing to volunteer for U.S. homeland security efforts, including civil-defense planning, training and drilling in their communities, according to a survey by the Council on Excellence in Government. But they have to be asked.
Citizens need guidance
This war against terrorism is something new, and the public needs guidance in how to act. In most parts of the country, the war only penetrates a community's consciousness when a native son or daughter's death is reported. Thus far, more than 1,200 soldiers have died in Iraq and thousands more have been wounded. Yet at home, it does not seem like wartime.
Before the election, it may have been understandable politically for the Bush administration to play down the impact and cost of the war domestically. Now, as a new term begins, there is no excuse not to be more direct with the public about the sacrifice the rest of the country needs to make. Tuesday's speech was a welcome start.
A nation cannot fight a war halfway on the battlefield. And it cannot do so on the home front, either.
The proliferation of magnetic ribbons on America's roads is a wonderful symbol of support for the troops. But in wartime, symbols are not enough.
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