Actions and Ethical Issues
September 11 (or 9/11) is remembered by many Americans as one of the deadliest disasters in the country’s history (Alperen, 2014). The tragedy stands out because it had a global implication. After the disaster, different people and organizational leaders came up with appropriate measures to deal with it directly. For instance, the government presented the right equipment and evacuation strategies to respond to the tragic event. Many volunteers and humanitarian organizations such as the American Red Cross Association were involved throughout the disaster response process. The leaders and human service professionals provided the right resources, materials, and counseling in order to deal with tragedy.
It is agreeable that tragedy attracted numerous ethical issues. To begin with, the country was divided over the issues of terrorism and Islam. According to the victims and their family members, the attack had been perpetrated by terrorists. The main focus during the time was Al-Qaida (Alperen, 2014). The counselors and social workers had to provide quality support to both Muslims and Christians (Alperen, 2014). This ethical issue emerged because many Christians in the nation were unhappy with their fellow Muslims. This was the case because the tragedy was believed to have targeted American Christians. Business ethics gained attention because many corporations were expected to be part of the recovery and rebuilding processes.
Actions of Local, State, and Federal Personnel
After the tragedy, different local agencies and personnel were involved throughout the recovery process. The local personnel offered direct care, provided aid to affected individuals, and executed evacuation processes. The state and federal personnel offered the required support throughout the process. The New York City Fire Department decided to deploy 200 units to deal with the situation (Alperen, 2014). Emergency and off-duty firefighters were ready to meet the needs of the affected people.
The federal government set up different relief funds to assist injured people. Survivors were provided with financial assistance. Contingency plans were also implemented by the government to evacuate different people and leaders (Hersh, 2016). Rescue workers and police from different corners of the country were involved in order to assist more individuals and recover bodies. Many Americans donated blood to the victims.
Clean-Up after the Event
The clean-up process has been ongoing since 2001. However, the major activities were completed within a year after the disaster. Several agencies and organizations were involved throughout the clean-up after the event. The process attracted different agencies and government departments. The New York City Office of Emergency Management was responsible for managing and coordinating the clean-up process. The organization rescued many people and provided relief to the affected individuals. The other organizations included the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers provided the required support (Hersh, 2016).
Throughout the clean-up period, different agencies provided the right support and removed debris from the site. Chemicals and hazardous materials were surveyed and neutralized. Rescue efforts also continued throughout the process while at the same time providing the best care to the survivors. Several pressures influenced their strategies. For example, the organizations were encouraged to act from a social responsibility perspective. They provided support without expecting anything in return. Volunteers and humanitarian organizations focused on the idea of social responsibility. Burger King offered one of its stores to be used as a center for policy coordination (Alperen, 2014). The issue of integrity is what guided most of the organizations to meet the needs of the victims. The businesses operating around the area offered adequate resources and support in order to support the clean-up process. These practices echoed the attributes of positive business ethics.
Ethical Culture in the United States
The 9/11 tragedy can be described as something that transformed ethical culture in the country. Many companies and organizations began to appreciate the concept of corporate social responsibility. Throughout the disaster, it was appropriate for companies to offer resources, support the welfare of the affected victims, and be part of the clean-up process (Hersh, 2016). The disaster also revolutionized the manner in which the issue of race relations was addressed in the country. For instance, many human service professionals and citizens realized that it was appropriate to relate positively despite their cultural and ethnic differences.
Analysts have also indicated clearly that 9/11 led to numerous concerns in the country. For instance, many Americans began to view and treat Muslims negatively. The relationship between Islam and Christianity became strained in the country than ever before (Hersh, 2016). Society would, therefore, be forced to address and study terrorism from an Islamic perspective (Alperen, 2014). This ethical issue has continued to define race relationships in the country.
Lessons Learned from the Event in the Future
The 9/11 tragedy raises numerous questions and concerns that must be addressed in the United States. A detailed analysis of the disaster encourages people to understand that prejudice can do more harm than many people think. The most important thing is for the people to tackle the problem of terrorism from the right approach instead of promoting bigotry and enmity between Christians and Muslims (Hersh, 2016). The tragedy also educates people to forget their differences whenever faced with insurmountable challenges. Business organizations and governmental agencies should always be on the frontline to address disasters and be part of the clean-up processes.
References
Alperen, M. (2014). Foundations of homeland security: Law and policy. New York, NY: Wiley.
Hersh, M. (2016). Terrorism, human rights and ethics: A modeling approach. Journal of Socialomics, 5(2), 1-13. Web.