After hearing the news that Osama bin Laden, leader of the international terrorist organization al-Qaida, had been killed, I went to ground zero (the ruins of the World Trade Center, the focus of the 9/11 attacks) to ask some of the New Yorkers walking around there this question: “Does this solve America’s problems?”
Most of the people answered, “Our problems haven’t been solved,” mainly because of concerns about the economy. The responses included: “We’re still dealing with economic issues” (a legal clerk, 44 years old), “His death doesn’t change the economy” (a carpenter, 46), “The (national) debt is still an issue” (a transit foundation employee, 63) and “We still have problems with the economy and illegal immigrants” (a legal clerk, 32).
New York State is in a financial crisis similar to that of the federal government. The unemployment rate is stuck at a high level, the deficit is at an all-time high, and there are no sources of revenue to shore up the budget. Even police officers and public school teachers are threatened with layoffs. In reality, Americans are far less likely to die in a terrorist attack than in a traffic accident. One facet of this reality is that economic concerns are casting a shadow over everyday life.
There is an inverse relationship between economic prosperity and the crime rate. In a recession, public order takes a turn for the worse.
Around ground zero, countless bouquets and letters are offered to the victims, and the air is heavy with sadness and vengeance. The New Yorkers I interviewed had a starkly contrasting air of realism that made me sigh.
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