April 19, 1995: What else are we forgetting to remember?

By Timothy L. Beres, Vice President and Director, Safety & Security

Since the last issue of The Tear Line, the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing came and went. Timothy McVeigh’s attack against his own country resulted in 168 people killed (including 19 children), 680 people injured, 324 buildings damaged or destroyed, and $652 million in damage. It seems almost impossible to forget about that tragic day when thinking about the images that captured the horror, especially the picture of the firefighter carrying the limp body of a small child from the rubble. Unfortunately, it seems that we have forgotten.

I looked hard for coverage of the bombing on the 2012 anniversary, and I did not see any mention of it on the national news. I also checked the homeland security blogs that I read regularly and could not find a single mention of the event. Instead, posts on one of those blogs ranged from Whole Community initiatives to cybersecurity. I also took an informal poll of colleagues that work in the homeland security field, and not one recognized the significance of the date.

It continues to amaze me that the second deadliest terrorist attack in this country is rarely talked about. Does the absence of a collective recognition suggest that we as a country do not care about those victims? That we do not worry that this could happen again?

Or do we just wish that this reminder of our vulnerability would go away?

Whatever the answer, we are letting the country down by not remembering this terrorist attack by a disaffected American citizen. It is hard for any of us who give credence to the idea of American exceptionalism that this type of act could again occur. We don’t want to believe that occasionally, the “exceptional” stumble. Instead, we need to actively remind ourselves about the where, the when, and the why of such events so that we can learn from our sometimes painful past.

The events of Oklahoma City can continue to remind us that domestic terrorism is a real threat, not something to be treated as an after-thought that trails far behind terrorism originating from other countries. This possibility should be reflected in our approach to homeland security. For example, domestic terrorism should be taken into account in all of our risk formulas, as a region or sector classified as “low risk” or “lower risk” does not mean that it has no risk.

All cities, counties, and states must be part of our collective national security in the homeland. Across the states and regions, we share intelligence, resources, and aid, so we must remember that the capabilities of one jurisdiction may be used to identify or stop a threat against another—or to respond, if necessary.

One of our nation’s best qualities is our ability to examine and understand our shortcomings—and then to address them. The Oklahoma City bombing should be discussed in every conversation we have about terrorism, as no state, jurisdiction, or city is an island unto itself. As the United States, we are mutually dependent on each other in homeland security and as a society as a whole. It is this mutual dependence that makes us strong and resilient. We need to remember the events of our past and, when the next one occurs, ask not for whom the bell tolls—it tolls for all of us.