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Speech from United Way of
Pierce County President For Harbor Flag Dedication Ceremony
September 11, 2002
By Rick Allen, Ph.D.
President
United Way of Pierce County
Let me take you back in time. Not to September
11, but to 1830.
It is a testament to the American character
that the heroism on display on September 11, on the ground
and in the air, was and is a common and defining feature of
our culture. The level of commitment to the larger community,
to the concept of choosing to help others we don’t even
know, is unique to the world. Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman,
first wrote about this defining American trait back in 1830,
in a book called Democracy in America.
When we remember those who gave their lives
in service on September 11, we must remember and honor the
choice they made: the choice to serve others, to help and
protect, in this case at the ultimate cost of their own lives.
There is a scene in the great movie Saving Private
Ryan that speaks to this issue of service to others, at ultimate
cost. It provides a lesson for us all. In the movie, near
the end, Tom Hanks (who plays the Captain leading troops to
save Private Ryan), is dying. His men have almost all been
killed saving Private Ryan. He motions for Private Ryan to
come over, and then whispers, as he is dying, “you better
earn this.”
We are all Private Ryan.
How do we earn this honor, to dare stand next
to those who make the ultimate sacrifice in service to us
all? What do we do to earn this?
*We can spend a little more time thinking about
our community and the common good, and a little less time
about our pocketbooks and our politics;
*We can spend a little more time helping to
educate all of our children, and a little less time on entertaining
ourselves;
*We can be a bit more concerned with building
a culture that recognizes and rewards commitment to community,
and a little less time on glorifying those who entertain us;
*We can spend a bit more time on pitching in
with others to help, and a little less time being concerned
with who gets the credit;
*We can spend a little more time on focusing
on our personal responsibility, and a little less time on
personal self-interest.
Many of those we honor today gave their lives
for the common good, in public service. They honored a special
American tradition of service to unknown others that is both
common to the American character, and unique to the American
culture.
In the immediate aftermath of their sacrifice,
Americans everywhere stepped forward in the same spirit of
service. We gave freely, for the common good. This flag, this
space we dedicate today, represents our respect for those
who served and died, and our respect for the unique sense
of “greater community” for which they gave their
lives.
As this space makes evident, they have earned
our undying admiration and respect. It is now our responsibility
to earn theirs.
We better earn this.
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