Politics & Power Quote by Jerry Costello

Post-9/11 patriotism is doing a lot of work here, and that is exactly the point. Costello’s line isn’t merely praise for law enforcement; it’s a political bridge between a singular national trauma and an ongoing policy posture. By dating the “deeper appreciation” to September 11, 2001, he turns gratitude into a before-and-after story: we were naive, then we were awakened. That arc flatters Congress and the public while quietly implying that dissent, skepticism, or budget restraint belongs to the naive past.

The phrasing is carefully padded. “Many in this nation and this Congress” spreads responsibility and shields the speaker from absolutism while still claiming a consensus. “Deeper appreciation” is also a strategic downgrade from “changed course” or “reckoned with mistakes.” It’s emotional progress without admitting institutional failure. The sentence lets lawmakers perform moral seriousness without naming specific legislation, oversight, or tradeoffs that might invite scrutiny.

The subtext is about authorization: if law enforcement “sacrifices” are newly understood in an age of terrorism, then expanded powers, funding, and deference can be framed as repayment rather than policy choice. “Sacrifices made” sanctifies the profession, sliding it closer to military rhetoric and making critique sound like ingratitude. In the early 2000s congressional context, that was a powerful rhetorical shield: invoking 9/11 converted debates about security, civil liberties, and policing into a test of solidarity. The line works because it offers comfort - unity, gratitude, resolve - while keeping the costs offstage.