didn't they make 'fargo' in minnesota? i knew this fairy tale article couldn't be true.

is it a sign of the times that we grasp at these scenes of people helping each other in moments of supreme desperation, but we can't see how to take that innate impulse and make it the foundation of our life on earth?

Ms. Kahn,

I can relate to your story because yesterday I had a life-changing experience that actually showed the good side of people who cared. I was in a bad car accident and people immediately came to my aid. The other motorist called the paramedics and fire department. Because I was wearing a seatbelt, it saved my life, otherwise I would not be typing this response right now. I suffered badly bruised ribs and ribcage, but luckily no lacerations or internal bleeding. I wish that the media had been there because it showed one of the rare times when people came together to help someone. I remember a million thoughts going through my head while the doctors and nurses were examining me in the emergency room. But what I realized is that my friends and family are the most important things in my life. Everything else takes a distant back seat. In response to your article, we are all not that different. Sure our political views may vary, but in times of crisis, people come together (Katrina to an extent, although we will leave the government out of that argument). It would be so much nicer to read about people who helped others instead of some bank heist, or Paris Hilton going to jail for drunk driving. The bridge collapse in Minneapolis was horrific. I saw it while I was there and it is scary. But, what is most important, as you mentioned, is that we need to appreciate each other and help each other in times of need. This is the way I was brought up, and will continue dedicating my life to helping others who just might need my help in time of need. Thank you for this article.

Yes you are nice people we know that.

"But are we here in Minnesota so different even from our fellow Americans?"
No I don't think so.

Please raise your consciousness one more notch or three, you are citizens of planet earth the same as the Russians and the Chinese, you are a nation of immigrants from all over the world,

you have made very large messes on the face of the planet.

How about doing just a little bit more running and pitching in and helping fix all the big messes around the world which have been caused by your Nation?
sorry to break in on the round of self congratulations.

Palestine would be a good start
then Iraq
and Afghanistan
and Haiti
and Nicaragua
and Viet Nam
and Columbia
you are citizens of the planet earth, not planet USA.

An emergency is when you see the grace and goodness that exists in people. It really just isn't in Minnesota. Remember the private boats in New Orleans that were running rescue operations for days? I'd bet any digging at all could find the same stories amongst the Christmas Tsunami survivors. You can find the same stories around any disaster.

So often I think of the bad people do. Its something like this that points out the quiet goodness that's really there every day in the people around us.

Of course, any action an individual can take is local. Maybe we can someday get our government and our military to quit doing harm in other places, but its also gonna have to be the people in Palestine and Iraq and Afghanistan and Haiti and Nicaragua and Viet Nam and Colombia (learn to spell) that are going to have to do the work of good people to rebuild their societies. Since there are some rather old conflicts in this list, I'd suspect its already happening in places.

Maybe the people of the US can get the US out of the way, but we can't be the ones to go everywhere in the world and fix every problem and right every wrong. If you believe that, then I'd say you have some dependency issues to work on. And in the US its been the very myth that we can do that that has been used by our leaders and the military to justify the harm we've done in these very places. So I'd think that if White Rose was really a resident of any of those place that having the US come in and 'fix' things (again) is about the last thing on earth they'd want.

As a fellow Minnesotan, I feel obligated to point out that the social democratic traditions of this state have been on the wane for years now. There are hopes for a revival in the aftermath of this tragedy, but I'm afraid the "no new taxes" Pawlenty types are merely licking their wounds and regrouping their forces to continue their destruction of our "mutual support" society as soon as they can find a suitable scapegoat to sacrifice. "Me first" is ruling the land to a far greater degree than most of us would like to believe.

I also feel obligated to confirm that the "rough and unattractive moments" in Minnesota's history consist of some truly appalling episodes indeed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sioux_Uprising

Ahhh, there you go again with that cliched canard of USAmerican "exceptionalism" ~ I
was born here & educated here in US too and
make an effort everyday to try to recognize the propaganda that I was and am subjected to as an ordinary citizen.

Sorry to rain on your parade ... but..
The myth of american exceptionalism (imho) makes racism and violence acceptable.

Consider the bridge had been in Iraq or other occupied territory - would the few deaths have made the newspapers front page?
Or would it just have been too bad but they were only ragheads?

Yes it's great to help your fellow citizens but I agree with previous poster - please don't reserve your benevolence for those in your own neighborhood who have plenty of options; what are you doing for those in Baghdad who have no potable water or electricity in 117 degree summer heat?

Sorry this is so grumpy but there it is.

I think what the author is saying is true of all regular folks worldwide. Money and power changes everything. Sometimes I think we should pity the ones who are trapped in the conciousness of greed. They miss out on the truly finer things in life.

To bellthecat,

I guess I'm just a little slower, but I walked away from the computer to do some stuff around the house and I kept thinking about this article. I eventually I reached the same conclusion.

I've traveled to Minnesota sometimes. So I've been exposed before to this myth Minnesotans have about themselves that they are some how 'good people' compared to everyone else. And having been in Minnesota, I just don't see it. By that I mean, Minnesotans are not bad people. But the occurrence of good people doing good things isn't really any higher there than anywhere else. Minneapolis seems to be a very car-centric city with awful traffic. And trying to drive from the Minneapolis airport out of town and then back again, it was basically the same aggressive, obnoixious driving in bad traffic that I'd see anywhere else where there are long traffic jams even on a Sunday afternoon.

I also believe there are good people everywhere, and really no matter what race or background, they tend to be around in about the same proportions. I think a society can encourage or discourage good or bad behavior, but that the natural innate goodness or badness or people is the same about everywhere. And don't forget the eastern understanding that there is both good and bad in everyone.

So that gets to the scary part of the Minnesota Goodness Myth, and to the scary part of American exceptionalism in general. Minnesotans want to believe that they are better at being "good people" than anyone else. Americans in general tend to want to believe they are better than everyone else. But neither is really true. Thus, to hold to the myth, the scary underlying sentiment is that the people elsewhere really aren't as good. The assumption starts to be that those are bad people over there.

There's an underlying tone to this article that is unspoken, but it seems to assume that if this had happened in some ugly eastern urban area, instead of people running to the rescue that you'd have seen gangs of criminals descending on the survivors and the victims in the water to steal their wallets and watches.

That's the scary part of both the Minnesota Myth and the general myth of American exceptionalism. The way it leads to the belief that everyone else is somehow bad or less worthy.

I'm glad that Minnesotans made the effort to help one another. That's always worth celebrating, wherever it happens. Probably not exceptional, either, but good on you all the same.

That said, Minnesotans are also responsible for voting Pawlenty into office in the first place, so don't break your arms patting yourselves on the back for fishing people out of the river, when your votes are partly responsible for them falling in to begin with.

Jim Wallis tells this parable about helping people in crisis: It's nice if you're willing to help pull people out of the river when that's needed, but even better if you have the courage to walk upriver and find out who's throwing them in. And put a stop to it.

No disrespect intended, but this is how Americans react to big, sudden emergencies generally. After a big one hit LA back in '89, everyone was rushing to help everyone; men and women from all over the country rushed to Ground Zero without hesitation; and if it weren't for the non-official first responders, the death toll in NO would have been quite large.

It's the slow burning emergencies where we drop the ball, whether it's homelessness or climate change or the dismantling of our Democracy. That's really who "we" are - we're good in the first inning, but leave long before the game's over.

The measure of who we are should be taken more from how we treat those we deem our enemies for all humans will treat well those with whom they have affinity. By that measure, we do very poorly.

Matthew 5:44-48 (NKJV) "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The people payed taxes and appointed and elected representatives to take care of bridges in Minnesota.

We will see what happens in the aftermath. Will someone be fired? Regulations improved? Design flaws analyzed and corrected? Money appropriated to inspect and repair bridges before the next one falls?

Or will it be a little New Orleans where 2 years or more after the 'event' the conditions are worse than before?

Most areas subject to hurricanes are not better prepared now than they have been since modern coastal area destruction has set in. There is still no plan anywhere in the U.S. to restore the natural and protective coastal wetlands. They haven't even bothered to improve the levee system in New Orleans.

The real measure of a government is to ANTICIPATE and PREVENT disaster as well as respond to it.

.

The Hierarchal System is always imposed from the top down. Whether your System is called a monarchy, communism, fascism, capitalism or anarchy, the Elite have the gold and power and use it to make the rules. Self-preservation is their first, last and only Golden Rule. Preservation of their wealth and power supercedes the most basic needs of billions of their subjects. If you lack shelter, food, water or health care, it's because the Hierarchy has made it so. Your lack is their gain.

Neither of our political parties represent the interests of the billions of subjects, they represent the Hierarchy because they are part of the Hierarchal System. The System is the means by which a small minority rules the vast majority by terrorism, cunning and deceit. Which doesn't mean they are smarter than all the rest of us, on the contrary, most are incredibly stupid, but remember, they live in a world of their own making, aided by the basic decency of all those billions they abhor.

Their rules (laws) are one-way< Good for them, bad for us.

The hierarchy we have in power now would like to rule forever, and they don't care what it takes to achieve that goal. This Hierarchal System feeds and feeds off the Military Industrial Complex. This hierarchy has killed and will continue to kill many more people before they are stopped.

Is that grounds for Impeachment?

.

And Dubya looked up from his copy of "My Pet Goat: the Sequel" long enough to say, "We are praying." Such leadership!

rabblerowzer - Grant this (or not I suppose). Lets assume the rules have always been one-way, that doesn't mean they always have to be one way. Come on, lets change the rules, but this time let them extend outwards instead of trickling down.

Peace,
Ken Hausle

I know - easier said than done.

But, it ain't gone a-happen unless we recognize that it can.

Peace again,
Ken Hausle

"It was local media guy Joe Soucheray who said to a New York reporter, "On 9/11, everyone ran out and first responders ran in. Here in Minneapolis, an interstate bridge falls at rush hour and everyone runs in!" That reporter's response had to be: "Everyone runs in? Who are you people?"

ARE YOU KIDDING??? JHKee-rice, you canNOT be serious! Yeah, there's a SLIGHT difference between jetliners full of people being steered into two towers, a commercial & transportation hub for hundreds of thousands of commuters, workers, residents, and a bridge which had a few hundred people on it. The fires beneath the rubble burned for MONTHS, and the relief workers, screwed by Rudy & Christine Whitman & everybody, all knew they were signing onto a death sentence -- . . . I'm sure that even milk & honey Minnesotans might have hesitated before running towards a mountain of hot rubble while debris and smoke were pouring out . . .

SECOND,

"The historic makeup of the state of Minnesota — of Swedes and Norwegians, Germans and Irish — came a bit later, but they brought their own powerful ethic for mutual aid and clean politics. The Rangers — Italians and Finns, Slovaks and Czechs — brought the cooperatives and intercooperation to Minnesota as a way of life --"

One couldn't conceive a satire to better display the immense complacency and sheer uselessness of bourgeois volunteerism. German and Irish immigrants brought "clean politics"?? I guess Honey Fitz and Joe McCarthy and Haldemann and Erlichmann, as well as law & order beat-the-anarchist German-Americans (my kith & kin) were all just aberrations. And good thing those early immigrants were all PALE, who knows what might've happened if it had been africans or latinos who had gotten up that way.

I understand Lenin's harshness towards these super-helpful sorts better and better every day. "Look at me! I'm a blessing!"

Claudius--best wishes fora speedy recuperation from your unfortunate car accident. So Minneapolis got a mini-Katrina and we fuond out two things:

1. The government from local to state to federal even if they mean well aren't worth a poop in times of desperate crisis.

2. There still survives a golden thread of compassion and mercyful goodness that runs through some of those who make up the fabric of our society.

I wonder if that crazy mining company president is still trying to blame a non-existant earthquake for the collapse of his retreat mining fiasco of a mine collapse.

Thanks Poet, I appreciate it.

I do not necessarily think that Minnesota is that exceptional. Surely there are other cities (ok, states) that would pull together in time of a massive structural failure like the collapsing of a bridge. The sad thing is that this whole disaster in Minneapolis could have been avoided. The documentation clearly illustrates that danger that lurked there with that bridge, yet nobody did anything about it. Now there are what 70,000 bridges nationwide that fall under that category? Sure, we can spend hundreds of billions of dollars on a ridiculous and unnecessary war, but can't take care of our infrustructures at home (our first clue long should have been before Katrina)? Obviously our politicians definitely have their priorities mixed up!

"The sad thing is that this whole disaster in Minneapolis could have been avoided."

Yes: americans have been drinking this "government is the problem" swill for a quarter century, and the result is deliberate misrule of the christo-social dariwninians who believe government is a private club with rules preventing the godless plebeians from peeking in or having a say.

The tone of the article, tho', was too close to Mrs. Beast's chirpy "There are so many good stories up here! thank you, Bridge, for collapsing so that we can see how good people are!" Or, as her spouse, Mr. Beast would say, "Uniquely amurrican, innit?"

claudius, sorry to read about your accident, I'm glad you are ok, despite the painful bruising.

It's true about people in time of crisis or in time of need, we tend to rally and to help each other, which makes all that is happening so tragic. Why are so many of us allowing our government to continue it's brutality on the innocent? Is it too far from our immediate lives to have impact? All of the good people of these CD postings and elsewhere must step up our efforts to end this insanity, doing whatever it may take; strikes, boycotts, letter campaigns , anything, just do something to make our voices heard.

Good luck with the healing.

We are the coalition of the willing to wait until it personally impacts US to care! That's who.

malatesta,

Thank you. I appreciate it. I was thinking about the postings earlier today, and one thing did occur to me. At least we are aware of what this fascist government is doing. As some other posters have mentioned on other threads, the ignorance of many people is profound, such as colleagues at work who are unaware of the political quagmire we are neck deep in, or they do not care because American Idol is more important to them. Malatesta, I find myself asking the same questions. And I appreciate everyone who participates in the posts (sorry, I will try not to get sappy), but as Siouxrose, Abbybwood and others have indicated, it would be nice at some point for all of us to meet at a forum or have some gathering because to me, it feels like I have known many of you for a long time. True we occasionally get irrascible, but that is part of discussion, and of course people are not entirely going to have the same views. But at least we share a common concern and give a damn about this country and want to see it go in a better direction instead of backwards under Chimpy and his affiliates. Yes, let's step it up, and I will try to do more on my part as well (injured or not).

To everyone:

Take care, be in good health, and may God bless all of you.

With best regards,
Claudius

Unfortunately God won't forbid it, and in God knows how many states as time goes on, because humans, at the level of governance, are unwise.

At least fifteen years back I heard our aging infrastructure discussed as a problem in the media. A cursory look at the state of the nation shows that our priorities reflect the overriding concern of government to keep big business happy so our politicians can enjoy long profitable careers. The poor, the sick, the frail elderly - the aging infrastructure that will get the occasional random citizens killed - isn't a real focus of attention.

I think the operating word here is "corruption." I love this land and its people as much as ever, but "proud to be an American?" No way on earth, unless we're talking about parts of our past. I'm frankly ashamed of how our democracy has eroded under the stewardship of us baby boomers.

"You betcha". Posters have it right. Russia, China,
anywhere, the response from the local people would be
the same. Help with no or little regard for personal
danger. Soucheray is an idiot to start with. Sugary
or knee-jerk platitudes with no real thought - to be
ignored from start to finish. But that is MSM.

Bottom line - there is no such thing as exceptionalism.
It just seems that way when real peoples' actions are
compared to politicians'.

In Russia and China they don't help each other out? When was this article written—1951?

there are good (and bad) people everywhere, not just in America. and people everywhere have the right to live their lifes in peace and safety.
no offence, but what seems to be exceptional about Americans is their belief in their own exceptionalism and their lack of concern and compassion for non-Americans connected therewith. if Americans weren't dying in Iraq, how many Americans would oppose the war?
if the bridge collapsed anywhere outside America would the event have made American front pages? how many dead would it take to put it there?

Being a native, I too would like to throw in my two cents about us Minnewegians.

The only thing I was shocked by in all the awkward and incompetent coverage was that persistent incredulity that anyone would ever step in harm's way to ever help another human being. Perhaps there is a bit more of the "team" mentality here because we are used to depending on each other. We live in an area where "normal" weather can kill you. (see- Minnesota Winter)

Aside from 50 below weather, flooding, record heat and regular tornadoes, Minnesota is a pretty nice place. And we are pretty nice people. But politeness is just a nice way for people to lie to each other. And that gets old pretty quick.

In a crisis it is very common for even the outcasts and criminals to pitch in, to lend a hand and pull their weight. So it shouldn't shock us when an average guy becomes a hero, simply by being in the right place at the wrong time.

I wish it wouldn't shock us that we are capable of cooperation. Each of us has a place in this human chain. When we hold hands and link together we can accomplish miracles. In a crisis it doesn't matter if you are holding the hand of someone you don't like. When the crisis is over maybe we should still hold hands.

I find it somehow heartening to read, amidst all the doom and gloom surrounding we innately well-meaning Americans of late, concrete anecdotal evidence such as that presented above by Deborah Morse-Kahn, which reminds us that we are nevertheless, intrinsically, person for person, better peope than those who live in China or Russia. I am a progressive, and such a suggestion (even if it is only an insinuation) ought to be be abbhorrent. But it isn't. Kudos to Common Dremas for presenting us an article in which the speaking of truth to power is buried deep, and the insidiousness of which is transformed into digestible philanthropy.

'God forbid'??? it would seem your god had a greater plan for the bridge to collapse and for people to die a painful tragic death while the families and friends wait weeks for their bodies to be pulled from the wreckage...

am i the only one who is tired of seeing/hearing folks 'pray' for the best outcome only to find that tragedy is the reality? they don't blame thier god for that...but if there is a successful rescue, their god is given all the credit...

why do we swing into 'we are better than everyone else' mode when our help is required in emergency situations? is it because we are such an apathetic, ignorant country of citizens that we need to highlight and spotlight every ounce of good especially in time of violent occupation of another country? take a look at the iraqis who risk their lives DAILY running into burning buses and crumbling buildings to help rescue strangers...

i am a volunteer fire fighter, but it is not because i live in a small rural massachusetts town or because i am a humanist or a white woman, an american, or because i am better than others, i do it because it is my nature to help those in need and it feels good, period...

a quote that is attributed to thomas paine takes center stage on my refrigerator: 'the WORLD is my country and my religion is to do good' (religion as in 'intention', not formal membership)

those of us here who bring to task the author of this article are not slamming her but refusing to accept the fairytale of 'we are the heros' but the reality that we who live in this country are not the exception when it comes to citizenry assisting citizenry...

in reading my comments prior to 'sending' i see that my anger and impatience is apparent, sorry but there are few places where one can do so--a safe place to vent....PEACE...

....jade

I read this article with mixed feelings. I've lived in MN all my life. I think the comments here have been all worthwhile reading. My opinion is chances are the media didn't cover the many people and vehicles who didn't stop and just got the hell out of there. Perhaps that is just as well, as many people don't know how to help and too many people can create a worse situation.

Looking back to when I lived in the Minnetonka area, I will never forget the lack of assistance in the K-Mart store. I had a toddler and my purse in a cart and was 5 months pregnant. I was passing out and laying on the floor as people's shadows stepped over me. No one stopped or said anything. When I came to, I felt disappointed in the general public but at least grateful someone hadn't taken my purse or young child. I could cite other examples as well, but I think you get my drift. The majority of people who live in the cities go around in a bubble and pretend you don't exist. It is not society appropriate to say hi to people you don't personally know. Perhaps this is the way in all cities, how would I know. I moved up north a long time ago.

Nanoo: I live in small town America and have noticed that increasingly during the last seven years if you greet strangers in public with a smile and an even look only a few of them shake off their trance and respond in kind. Most harden their faces and look away.

"How about doing just a little bit more running and pitching in and helping fix all the big messes around the world which have been caused by your Nation?"

God I grow weary of the Anti-American crowd and their endless urge to blame everything from Gengis Kahn to Hitler and Castro on my country.

And particularly weary of the self righteous, callow sentiments of people that have nothing but self interest at heart. No matter their pretense.

I think it says more about human nature in general than it does about Minnesota, obviously, right? Though when a group of people have higher expectations of themselves, it's good to see individuals striving to meet those expectations, even if it is more likely they already had those self-determined expectations. Group think can be great when it's positive and turned toward more nobel thoughts.

I'm proud for Minnesota that they have a heritage of standing up against slavery before it was popular in a crowd that supported it. But then again, our whole nation used to stand for freedom, and what good has it done us? What has it mattered, hasn't resting on our laurels done more harm than good? WE'RE NUMBER ONE!! We used to believe in trials, we used to believe in justice, freedom from tyrany or government spies paid to spy on us. We used to believe lawbreakers paid a price, when caught. A huge price, when lives were lost. We used to believe in a lot of things.

Now, all most of us believe is that we're going to lose those things, all those high ideals lost forever, lost until there is no more terrorism or a war on it. A war that can never end because the world will never be without strife, and we can't afford to do anything else but fight it. No, now all we believe in, as a nation, is our own safety. And MSM turned this accident into just another thing to be afraid of.

It's good to hear about the proud history of Minnesota. I just wish it mattered more.

Long ago when we had a forest fire in town locals would show up with shovels and do their best until enough help would arrive. The government has discouraged that and it does not happen anymore for the most part.

But, locals back then had firefighting skills where today most would be clueless what to do.

We now depend on a specialized society to take care of problems that arise and this increases with larger population centers. People living there expect emergency service.

It's a strong emotion when you see someone in trouble; you think to your self it could be you. Most common people who realize it could be them will help if they can. They have compassion!

No opera singing for Claudius, and it's good to have him all in one piece and back in the room.

COMarc,
What you say has irrefutable logic behind it:

1. We define ourselves by how we are different from other people
2. Some attributes are better than others
3. Nobody believes herself a bad person
4. Ergo, My qualities are positive, yours are negative

Everybody on this planet except for a few saints thinks like this.

Thanks BillNM, I am healing and glad to be coming back.

Good heavens! What a load of self-congratulatory drivel! Russia and China? Their citizens don't help one another? I guess all those people (lots of soldiers!) helping one another in the floods in China recently were forced by gun point by the evil commies to help one another...?

I don't blame the writer 100% however for her mistaken belief that 'american' generosity surpasses that of other countries. Blame Hollywood for poisoning the american mind in this direction.

Take a close look at Hollywood movies, especially those dealing with americans in foreign countries. Americans are generally portrayed as 'humane' and the 'rest of the world' as having next to none. And, of course, the 'rest of the world' is waiting for the 'humane' american hero to save them from themselves and show them the 'light' to true 'humaneness'...