I DON'T often like to make moral appeals. I have never asked anyone to "think of the children." I have never said something should not be done "in the interest of common decency." That is why I feel slightly silly when I type the following phrase: Is nothing sacred?
I'm compelled to ask the question because New York tourist shops are reportedly selling postcards of the World Trade Center collapsing. There are books about September 11, posters, commemorative plates and flags, movies and television shows centering directly on the tragedy or cashing in on the patriotism the events have inspired. I can just imagine the trading cards: "I'll trade you a Giuliani for a Dubya!"
But as much as I want to laugh off these examples of capitalism at its best, the laughter gets stuck in my throat. There are things that should not be cashed in on. The tragedy of September 11 is one of them. Capitalists everywhere should -- yes, I'll say it -- show some common decency and let this one thing remain sacred in the nation's collective consciousness. It's the only way we'll prevent future anniversaries of September 11 from becoming akin to any other holiday that people are cynical about because the commercialization has made the day lose much of its purity of meaning.
Some of the ways people are selling out September 11 are more overt than others. Several book publishers are consciously using the tragedy and people's empathy for the victims for their own personal gain. Over 150 books about September 11 were released in just the first nine months after the tragedy. Many publishers have promised to donate portions of books' proceeds to charities but vary greatly on the amount of money they are actually giving away. A few publishing houses are donating all sale profits, but "many others boasting about their efforts are relying mostly on the author's contribution, or are donating only a small portion of profits, or are setting a break-even point so high that profits -- and hence donations -- become rather elusive" ("Sweet charity," Time Magazine, Nov. 16, 2001).
And then there are the Cantor Fitzgerald commercials. Having lost much of its New York staff in the World Trade Center attacks, the company used those tragic deaths as a handy opportunity to promote themselves. They're airing a series of nine ads, each one with an employee talking about their experience on September 11 or lost colleagues. A message at the end of the ad speaks about Cantor Fitzgerald's desire to "fulfill [its] destiny as a company" and its "obligation to push onward; we owe that much to the ones who didn't."
In the words of media observer Michael Hlinka: "The unspoken request for new business lurks just barely under the surface" ("Cantor Fitzgerald's return to normalcy," Brandera.com). The ads are emotional manipulation at its worst. One can only wonder what will happen when people refrain from helping with any aid efforts at all because they are weary of their empathy for the attack victims being toyed with.
The strengthened patriotism people are feeling nowadays also has become a handy new marketing gimmick. The flag-waving spirit may have started out as shows of solidarity for some companies and networks, but it has quickly degenerated into just another way to sell things or boost ratings. Suddenly, MSNBC claims that it is "America's News Channel." Executives at every other cable news channel, angry that they didn't think of appropriating that title for themselves, are forced to settle for slapping an ever-fluttering American flag logo somewhere on their broadcast screen. This fall, NBC is launching "American Dreams," a half-drama, half-historical clip show centering around a wholesome 1950s family, designed to tap into the newfound patriotism as well as nostalgia for the warm and fuzzy 1950s. Boxes of cornflakes now have huge flags emblazoned on them -- hey, kids, don't just eat cereal, eat really American cereal!
It's gratuitous, it's everywhere and, as much as it pains me to use a Pat Robertson word, it is truly shameful. This has got to stop.
Making a buck off anything you can may be the American way, but making a buck off September 11 is going beyond any acceptable level of decency. The horror of that day and the events surrounding it, to say nothing of the number of lives lost, should inspire some kind of reserve on the part of those who would try to profit from Americans' sympathy for the victims and general strong feelings about September 11. Making a buck off the event cheapens the day and gives people a bad taste in their mouths when they think about it -- no one really wants their emotions about something as intense as September 11 manipulated by various companies' marketing departments. An onslaught of September 11 products and broadcasts will make people not want to reflect or think about the day at all, and that would be another tragedy in and of itself.
There are some things that should not be touched; there are some things that should be outside the realm of acceptable commercialism. September 11 is one of them. Send a message to those who would profit from it: Boycott their products and mark the anniversary by reflecting on what the day has come to mean for you, and for the nation as a whole. Only in that way can the day remain sacred.
(Laura Sahramaa is a Cavalier Daily opinion editor. She can be reached at lsahramaa@cavalierdaily.com.)
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