Historically when our nation was confronted and had to defend citizens, personal property, economic welfare and its integrity, citizens rose up to meet the challenge regardless of political affiliation, gender or economic status.
Why it happened, how it happened were put aside to address the immediate dangers and best solutions to end the threat.
In the aftermath, cleanup and subsequent post mortem recrimination and blame take over the natural reactions pent up during the crisis.
Although not national in destruction, the southern California wildfires will have a financial impact on our country and, of course, be a life-altering blow to all who lost homes and businesses.
As someone who lived in Santa Monica and Westchester, had great dinners overlooking the Pacific at Moon Shadows Malibu restaurant, launched a Hobie Cat from under a Malibu Beach home deck out into the blue Pacific, toured the Getty Villa and countless more beautiful experiences along that golden coast, the destruction has been hard to see. Thankfully, my L.A. area friends are safe in their homes.
Yes, eventually, hindsight will be 20/20 but petty political partisan attacks until then only further divide efforts to begin restoration and help those who lost so much begin to rebuild.
It has been said mankind’s true character is most revealed when under great stress. You’re seeing and hearing that from victims and first responders and, of course, from the token accusatory charges by our president-elect — maybe trying to create distance from his instigated deadly attacks on our Capitol on Jan. 6.
We have seen a growing alliance of Russia, North Korea and China attempting to cause division among us, hack into vital infrastructure institutions running our country and soon again to test the real intelligence and loyalty of our next president.
If he truly wants forever admiration, his time has come. We all better wish him well and, as the Beatles sang, “and we’ll get by with a little help from our friends.”
Peter R. Finn, Murray
