Tim Robbins, National Press Club, Washington DC, April 15, 2003:
I imagined our leaders seizing upon this moment of unity in America, this moment when no one wanted to talk about Democrat versus Republican, white versus black, or any of the other ridiculous divisions that dominate our public discourse. I imagined our leaders going on television telling the citizens that although we all want to be at Ground Zero, we can’t, but there is work that is needed to be done all over America. Our help is needed at community centers to tutor children, to teach them to read. Our work is needed at old-age homes to visit the lonely and infirmed; in gutted neighborhoods to rebuild housing and clean up parks, and convert abandoned lots to baseball fields.
Of course, the rest of the speech goes on to outline how wrong things have gone. And well, he’s right, of course. I was speaking about this with a friend about this a few weeks ago while I was feeling particularly frustrated and helpless. There are more and better ways to make a difference than screaming into the storm. Less talking, more doing.