DAY SIXTY-NINE:Nov. 18:
Today is Sunday, which means pundits' day in America. From some ungodly hour when I am never awake until noon each Sunday morning Americans gather around their radios, TVs and pulpits to listen to allegedly wise, well-informed men and women tell them what is right and wrong with the world. The boldest of the pundits even claim powers of prescience, and dare to forecast how contemporary political and social events will play out in the days and weeks to come. For news-aholics this makes Sunday morning a time for sofa quarter-backing, offering endless opportunities for yelling at the likes of Dan Schorr, Condaleeza Rice, Donald Rumsfield, Cokie Roberts and Tim Russert.
To be honest, as vapid and loathsome as many of the morning pundits can be they do unintentionally offer a glimpse of the national gestalt-of-the-moment. And, based on today's punditry, the gestalt seems to be relaxation, fueled by certitude that the Taliban will swiftly fall from power and Osama bin Laden is on the run.
Throughout New York City this weekend there has been a mood change, which undoubtedly reflects a similar sense that the worst is over, victory is nigh, "normalcy" can return. Manhattan was so full of shoppers today that midtown sidewalk traffic moved torturously slowly. Subways were uncharacteristically packed on this Sunday afternoon. Cafes and bistros were bustling with profitable activity. And every movie theater that featured "Harry Potter" had ticket lines that stretched as far as the eyes could see. With Thanksgiving only a few days away New York is giving every appearance of having shifted into a characteristic Xmas shopping frenzy.
The discovery of an anthrax-laced letter in Sen. Patrick Leahy's office appears to have evoked little more than a shrug from most New Yorkers -- certainly none of the Cipro-purchasing, gas mask buying hysteria that was elicited by the Daschle letter has been seen in the two days following the Leahy announcement. Some of the public seems to have decided that the horror that began with the World Trade Center on September 11 is over, the anthrax letters represent acts unconnected to that atrocity, and safety will soon be restored.
At a lunch party this afternoon in midtown Manhattan I found guests eager to learn what I might know about bioterrorism, but not the least bit nervous. Jokes and laughter filled the air, fueled no doubt by generous portions of French wine. Nobody appeared to be particularly worried about their personal survival. It is a dramatic turn of events.
Still, surveys indicate America remains sober about its future. For example, Associated Press released poll results today indicating three-fifths of Americans say they would want a smallpox vaccination NOW if it were widely available. According to AP:
"About half of the respondents say they are concerned about the threat of a smallpox attack and think last month's anthrax attacks are the beginning of an extended campaign, according to the poll conducted forThe AP by ICR of Media, Pa.
Some of those still concerned about bioterrorism say they generally are nervous because they do not know what's coming next.
Among the risks: About 3 in every 1 million people vaccinated would get encephalitis, which can cause permanent brain damage or death. Another 250 would get a smallpox-like rash that also can be fatal if not properly treated.
People with weak immune systems - patients who have AIDS, cancer or organ transplants or are taking high-dose steroids - are most at risk for the side effects, as are people with the skin condition eczema.
The anthrax attacks through the mail, which rattled the nation throughout October, had subsided a bit. But last week's discovery of a suspicious letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., may revive public concern. The number who think the anthrax attacks are likely to continue in the coming months is 45 percent, down only slightly from the height of the anthrax scare in mid-October, according to the poll of 1,003 people taken Nov. 9-13. The poll, conducted before the discovery of the Leahy letter, has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Young adults between 18 and 34 were twice as likely as those over 65 to think the anthrax attacks are the beginning of a long terror campaign.
About a fourth of the public say the handling of the anthrax scare gave them more confidence in the government'ability to protect citizens from future terrorist attacks. Almost that many say it gave them less confidence - with Democrats twice as likely as Republicans to say they had lost confidence. About half said it has not affected their confidence level.
Whether or not renewed bioterrorism assaults are in the offing, I remain convinced that Christmas is a terribly obvious target. The US economy desperately needs high volume consumer spending this season to pull tax revenues and capital flow out of the post-September 11 doldrums. Even a whisper of terror in citadels of consumerism could kill the goose that traditionally lays the Christmas golden eggs.
So I found the throngs around Bloomingdales and Macys today heart-warming. I am not a shopaholic, and usually detest the traffic and consumerism of the holidays, but it was good this weekend to see New Yorkers living their lives again, even if they are filled with the pursuit of materialism. As Thanksgiving draws near, we can hope and pray for more opportunities for safe pursuit of America's favorite past time: the search for "great deals".
Meanwhile, funerals were held today in Washington Heights and Belle Harbor, Queens for the victims of the crash of Flight 587. I couldn't bear to watch. And perhaps that's another reason New Yorkers felt compelled to hit the cash registers this weekend: We are sick of feeling sad. For people in a consumer society the most obvious antidote to sadness is buying --- things. Any things.
Fear sparks release of a set of compensatory hormones, including adrenaline and endorphins. In an odd way fear can be exhilarating. But sadness sparks no positive biological response; indeed, it dampens responses and promotes profound depression.
Perhaps this weekend New Yorkers simply got fed up with being sad.
Be well. Stay safe. Stand defiant.
Laurie Garrett
