Column: We Are All Victims, or Maybe It's Not That Way At All

The concept of six degrees of separation has been on my mind since September 11. We simply were not that far away from the people in the towers. I live physically 2000 miles away, yet I connect to victims through individuals I personally know in at least three separate directions, and that means everyone I know connects through me, ergo, through at most two persons. Unlike any war before, I have visited and revisited the battle scene on the ground through television. Never before have I encountered such impediments to my travel plans. Even the quest for purchasing a round trip ticket to Los Angeles, and hour-fifteen minute flight, now has me in a quandary--can I carry-on all I need, what can I carry-on, how long will I have to wait at the airport, in Las Vegas, in Los Angeles, will the flight be on time? What trouble will I face as I wish to use the flight to connect to an international flight? I finished a book on my favorite subject--gambling--yet I am not enthused about promoting it. I wonder, is my publisher? When a professor finishes a book, he is supposed to celebrate. It seems so unimportant a thing today. And my city, Las Vegas, appears to have been severely affected by the national tragedy as we depend heavily upon air traffic to bring us the people that purchase our recreational and entertainment"products." Fifteen thousand in the casino industry were put out of work. Some are my students.

A S.W.O.T. ASSESSMENT

We're all affected as never before, but are we all victims? Can we possibly apply a S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to what has happened? Dare we try? We've witnessed our weaknesses, and we felt the threat, and we feel the threats. Can there possibly be strengths and opportunities coming out of September 11?

We appear to be showing resolve, yet I am very unsure about our resolve. A few years ago a member of a neo-Nazi group was captured in Las Vegas. He had come here with a test tube full of Bubonic Plague and materials that were to be used for processing Anthrax. He evidently thought he had access to a medical lab in Las Vegas where he could put together materials in a way that they could be disseminated. After he was captured, the F.B.I. found tapes of him giving talks about delivering the materials to gatherings of Jews and Blacks for the purpose of accomplishing mass murder. He was a science professor. He was on probation for other crimes. He was captured. He was released. It appears we didn't have"proof" of something or another, and that anyone could get Bubonic plague materials, so what the hell, he was just anybody. His probation was not revoked. He walked. Maybe he still walks--in Florida. I hear that we may not have"evidence beyond a reasonable doubt" to convict anyone of anything--like"nothing" happened. If we have to take the World Trade Towers case to an"O.J." jury, I seriously question our resolve. I doubt if we could" convict" the 22"most-wanted." We appear to be showing a great display of patriotism, and I suspect this is a strength right now. But I don't feel that flag waving gives us enough strength in and of itself. We do have opportunities. We are getting new geography lessons, and for years studies have show that as a nation we have been rather illiterate regarding geography and lives of other peoples. Not much, but it's something.

THE OPPORTUNITY

However, one real opportunity exists. Our best opportunity may come in the national and personal reflections upon just who we are, collectively, but especially who we are as individuals. It was only that proverbial month plus days ago, that I was being besieged with calls about the $300 million dollar Powerball lottery drawing. I appeared on CNN's"Crossfire," as well as"Wolf Blitzer News" to talk about the big lotteries. I even wrote an HNN column on the subject. Funny, no one has even raised the question of lotteries lately. I have received calls about the economy of Las Vegas, but those are serious inquiries about real people trying to sustain their livelihoods in a leisure industry town. I have not been asked to talk about gamblers and their mindset. I think back a month plus days ago to a statement that accompanied the Powerball hoopla. One lottery commentator observed that the public was no longer interested in lotto games if the prize was to be only $40, $50, or $60 million. Such a"minuscule" prize amount was not effective for attracting masses of players, because"people wanted to know that the prize they won would be sufficient for them to completely change their lives." In other words, it appeared to be that for the masses in America, their lives"sucked," at least so much so that it would take a hundred million dollars or more to set their lives straight.

WE ARE NOT VICTIMS, OUR LIVES HAVE MEANING

Just a month plus days ago. As this is what I study, gambling, I pondered that observation as I watched memorial services and as I watched people in New York City walking about with pictures with names and signs,"Have You Seen This Person?" And I heard the persons carrying the signs speak. Never, Never, did they suggest that their loved ones' life was meaningless or hopeless, or so devoid of content that it was not worth living sans an extra hundred million dollars. If life was bad, it was still so much better than the alternative. But, it was not bad. I heard and the nation heard them proclaiming that life was good, that people were good. Of course, we had many new heroes to admire, but it was the ordinary people buried in an anonymous rubble of the terrorist destruction who were good and wonderful people. I pondered the awful question,"did they buy lottery tickets?" If they did, it sure seemed that those marketing the tickets had missed the mark--these people loved the lives they were leading, and they loved the people who were around them in those lives. They and those around them did not want to change their lives. It is a simple observation, but maybe not an unimportant one.

A tragedy shined the light on goodness of people in America, people in our lives, people removed from us by so few degrees of separation, and a renewed awareness of that goodness is truly one opportunity for growth that has come our way since 9-11. By seizing upon this opportunity we all may escape the trap of victimhood.