Heroism or critique?

The first time I saw the preview for "United 93," I became emotional and bothered. I knew that a debate was circling about whether it was "too soon" for this movie or whether Hollywood was "exploiting" the tragedy -- but it wasn't those concerns that troubled me. Instead, I had vivid flashbacks of my days as an American Airlines flight attendant and the many days I have silently contemplated the morbid yet realistic thoughts of "What would I have done if I were working on that plane?"\nThat morning I was minutes away from leaving for a flight from Chicago's O'Hare Airport when my roommate's mother called to ensure we were both safe at home. We were both flight attendants, and the first plane had just hit the World Trade Center tower. After her concerned mother's call, we rushed to the television and sat in stunned silence, watching the events unfold. With flights grounded for almost 10 days we could only sit and reflect on the tragedy, while others tried to heed calls to "go back to work" and "return to normalcy."\nRecently I decided to subject myself to the experience of "United 93." I was sure I wouldn't make it through the film, but it wasn't what I expected.\nWatching the passengers leave loving voicemails for their families for the last time was heart-wrenching. Witnessing the determined and heroic fight for control of the plane was gut-wrenching. Most supporters of "United 93" intently emphasize this bravery and heroism in the face of certain death -- and this aspect should not be downplayed.\nBut for me, the most important message in the film was a critique of the disturbing lack of coordination and responsiveness at every level -- the FAA, the military, the administration. The reaction of air traffic controllers who practically dismissed the first signs of a possible hijacking -- "We haven't had one of those in 20 years!" -- the delayed launch of fighter jets, which were deployed in the wrong direction and couldn't acquire necessary air space authorization; the President's authorization for the military to "engage" civilian aircraft, which came only after flight 93 had already crashed.\nIt's tempting to dismiss this disorganization saying, "No one could have predicted this." But the 9-11 Commission's report revealed that there were plenty of unheeded warnings that might have prevented the tragedy. It's also tempting to believe our "post-9-11 mindset" has corrected such grievous miscommunications. But look no further than last year's Katrina disaster to see that communication among the administration and the agencies designed to "protect" us remains weak at best.\nRemembering American heroism is fine, but not if it leads us on a sentimental journey away from difficult questions. I encourage everyone to see the film and to remember the tragic losses and then think about where we still fall short of ensuring that such devastating events never happen again.