Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource TomPaine.com Stories Description An account of the resource TomPaine.com -- a liberal advocacy organization -- distributed a public call on August 12, 2002 for 300 word "opinion advertisement" similar to those that the organization had been running regularly in the op-ed page of The New York Times. TomPaine.com received hundreds of submissions from the public, most of which the September 11 Digital Archive has preserved here. TomPaine Story TomPaine Story: Story The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that in a public relations move, San Francisco Police Department employees were instructed to answer the phone by saying, ""Hello, this is So-and-So of the SFPD, how may I help you?"" But that's not the story. The story is that someone voiced concern that the verb ""help"" could be construed as violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. ""Help"" has since been replaced by ""assist."" What does this have to do with the events of 9/11? It demonstrates the consequences of twisting the helping impulse deeply ingrained in the American character to suit political agendas - a loathsome form of exploitation so endemic in public policy that it automatically corrupts ""help"" into something suspected of usurping others' power, often with tragic consequences. After 9/11, we all wanted to help. When the boat's sinking is not the time to debate who bails water, which I think explains the "unprecedented solidarity" of support for George W. Bush. We needed someone to show us what to do. He was what we had. End of story. Most Americans would have supported Karl Marx under the circumstances. So the Bush administration calmly proceeded to manipulate the public's helping impulse to create imaginary support for foreign and domestic policies that generate feelings of powerlessness in our "helpees." What happens when people feel stepped on? Usually they get angry. They strike back, if possible. Duh. If we get nothing else from 9/11, I would like to see the creation of a slightly less suspicious world - where American help is once again viewed as empowerment not disenfranchisement. I want us to start screaming bloody murder when our own best impulses are perverted to raise some elected official's poll numbers. Our American soul is at stake. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource tp69.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2003-02-28