The heroics of the pilot of Flight 1549 which endured an emergency landing in the Hudson River this past week has been rightfully lauded by newspapers, magazines, TV, and radio in the days since the incident. The passengers have all been interviewed and reinterviewed so they can express their delight at how well the whole story worked out without a single fatality or even a serious injury. Eyewitnesses including newscaster Robin Roberts of ABC have told the heroic story to every known media outlet. And the captains, crews, and passengers of the ferry ships that snatched the passengers from the freezing cold waters of the Hudson River have been given the same, heroic accolades that the pilot received, accolades that were richly deserved.
The only thing missing from most reports was the recognition that the success of the non-tragedy was due entirely to the efforts of private individuals either employed by private companies or simply doing what comes naturally…helping someone in imminent distress, while government officials responding to the scene responded too little, too late. This is not intended to be a swipe at said government officials. Rather, it’s intended to remind us all that government is nearly always poorly positioned to really help in an emergency, and they are the last we should expect to be able to handle emergencies most efficiently.
Tornado aftermaths, 9/11, Katrina, Flight 1549….the list is nearly endless. It’s always private people doing what private people do in emergencies that save the day, not government officials.
It’s great to have a happy story in the news rather than the usual tragedy, death, and destruction that readers hungrily absorb on a daily basis, even if the media insisted on finding ways to dramatize it as much as possible in order to sell even more advertising. However, the hidden lesson in the story was ignored by most of them. It is that government simply is incapable of responding with heart, determination, and compassion as well as private individuals actually do on a daily basis.
I wonder how many more such events have to happen before people finally learn?
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