Upstanding Citizens of United 93

Thinking back on eight years ago today, we invite you to delve into the BR archive and revisit Elaine Scarry’s “Citizenship in Emergency.” Scarry commemorates the superb citizenship demonstrated by passengers of United Flight 93, who rallied to our country’s defense in a way our leaders at the time proved incapable. In twenty-three minutes, United 93 passengers gathered information about events on the ground, deliberated a course of action, voted, and took action–all while communicating with loved ones and coming to terms with death.

While we reflect on the unprecedented tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, we are–all of us–responsible for our country’s defense, and for insuring that our systems of defense are enacted in the best way possible. With each anniversary, allow our remembrance to move us from mourning into action, strengthening our participatory democracy in honor of the egalitarian process utilized by the citizens of United 93.

For another in-depth look at defense and democracy, check out Elaine Scarry’s Who Defended the Country?, edited by our own Joshua Cohen and published by Beacon Press in 2003.