The September 11th attack
For many in Hawai'i, danger feels more real now
By Tanya Bricking
Advertiser Staff Writer
It's normal at API Security these days to get calls from business owners looking for security guards to safeguard against suspicious activity and suspicious people.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
It's normal at Honolulu's Poison Control Center to get calls from people worried about anthrax symptoms and ways to keep from being infected.
Fire department hazardous-materials crews yesterday responded to reports of an odor at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. It was pepper spray.
A month since the terrorist attacks on the East Coast, Hawai'i is seeing anxiety manifest itself at pharmacy counters and business offices. Mental health workers are seeing reactions ranging from sadness and anger to distraction and fear of travel.
Routines, sports and movies may have returned under symbols of patriotism. But feelings about vulnerability to things ranging from war to bioterrorism have replaced what used to pass for normal in Hawai'i.
"I know that everybody is humbled and shocked, even subliminally," said Joe Pluta, president of Maui Destination Travel, who has felt a decline in business. "The world changed after Pearl Harbor, and the world changed after this."
Add to that the unrelated threat of a dengue fever epidemic, and fears in Hawai'i are amplified to the point of distortion, Pluta said.
Tahiti has dealt with dengue fever for decades without suffering much negative publicity about the mosquito-borne illness, Pluta said. But news of its presence in Hawai'i has multiplied existing paranoia already eating at the tourism industry and the state's economy, he said.
"It seems like people are overreacting," he said. "As long as they're overreacting in terms of safety, I see it as a plus. But this is a competitive vacation industry. We don't need this. I'm really sorry that everybody's making a big deal out of it. It's just another reason people won't want to travel."
For Shawn Murray, owner of Aloha Termite & Pest Control, dengue fever is just another thing to add to his worries during a tough economy.
He said he is turning away business because of possible legal ramifications. He's concerned his employees could contract dengue fever while trying to exterminate mosquitoes. Or homeowners could sue if they come down with the fever after the extermination is complete.
From business ramifications to children's questions about chemical attacks, the uneasiness seems endless. On some level, people just want to feel safe, whether the concern is dengue fever or bioterrorism.
"Businesses are calling us," said Vanessa Mitchell, a receptionist at API Security. "They're just wanting more security around their offices."
Honolulu psychologist Jack Annon sees parallels between the feelings that have left people on edge since Sept. 11 and the concerns people express in the workplace violence seminars he conducts. His focus now is what to tell people about what to do if they're exposed to things like anthrax.
Nurses at the Poison Control Center are coordinating with the Health Department to give consistent information to the public about risks and precautions to take.
Two years ago, the Rev. Christopher Eng had been concerned about Y2K preparation. He had a solar-powered radio, a crank-up lantern, a first-aid kit and a small stockpile of necessities.
But dangers feel more real now. Thousands of people died in the World Trade Center attacks.
Eng, pastor of Waipahu United Church of Christ, preached before the millennium about living every day as if it were the last. This weekend, his sermon will be about war and justice. And he will return to the theme of confronting fears.
Acknowledging fears is the first step in overcoming them, said Eng, who likens the emotions since Sept. 11 to a grieving process.
The nature of life is that things will move on. People will celebrate births and weddings and mourn deaths and other tragic events. But life-changing experiences will remain close to the surface, he said.
"I don't think life will be the same," Eng said. "I think we've lost so much that it will never be normal again. Normal is being redefined."
Reach Tanya Bricking at tbricking@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8026.
