Nation Hails Action With Wary Defiance

Americans here and across the country applauded the U.S. military action against Afghanistan on Sunday, defiant even as they worried about new terrorist reprisals.

Public events became vehicles for spontaneous displays of patriotism. As the cast of “42nd Street” took its bows at the Ford Center in Times Square, actress Meredith Patterson waved an American flag and the packed house erupted in cheers.

Chants of “USA! USA!” echoed through stadiums across the nation. In Philadelphia, the start of an NFL game between the Eagles and Arizona Cardinals was delayed nine minutes so that President Bush’s announcement of the airstrikes could be broadcast on the stadium’s big screen. More than 64,000 people stood up and cheered when he finished his comments.

Life in the nation’s largest city appeared much as it would any other day--Central Park was filled with joggers and thousands jammed the theater district. But there was a clear sense of determination:

“We had to do this,” said Gus Lambrakis, a Brooklyn construction worker, echoing a common view. The Taliban “should get what’s coming to them. We have to protect ourselves; we have to remove the cancer.”

Diane Eyerman, a New Jersey resident who was heading into New York to be an escort at the Emmy Awards ceremony--hours before it was canceled--said: “There’s a terrible fear in the city, and a sadness in this country. But I’m glad this [reprisal] finally happened. Finally, it’s all underway.”

Within minutes of the attacks, New York City moved to a higher state of alert. It was all done according to a plan drafted immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said.

“As far as New York City is concerned, life goes on as normal,” the mayor said at a news briefing after a brief helicopter tour of the city. In Southern California, people went about their Sunday routines, visiting beaches, shopping centers and amusement parks under bright skies. But many felt fear and wariness for the future.

“It’s weird to know I’m going on with my life and people from our country are fighting a war,” Jenni Cassady, 56, said at Universal CityWalk.

Like many major attractions, CityWalk’s attendance appeared typical for a Sunday afternoon. Lifeguards also reported average crowds for this time of year.

Judi Turner and her family wondered if terrorists would strike back at Hollywood, the Port of Los Angeles or other potential local targets.

“We’re not overly political people, but this has definitely got us talking and worrying,” said Turner, sunning herself near Santa Monica Pier. “We’re not panic-stricken over anything, but we’re nervous. I feel like nobody is safe.”

About 100 antiwar protesters in Pasadena decided to march through downtown as part of a previously scheduled demonstration.

“I’m so sorry on a day we had planned to march for peace that the United States has chosen to bomb Afghanistan,” said Joe Franko, regional director for the American Friends Service Committee branch in Pasadena.

There was a sense of edginess in Knob Noster, Mo., which is two miles from Whiteman Air Force Base--home to the B-2 bombers that apparently were involved in the action in Afghanistan.

“Everyone here is really, really supportive. But everyone’s a little uneasy too,” said Kelly Krause, a teacher. “In the middle of the night, we hear these huge roars of the B-2 bombers taking off. And we don’t know where they’re going.” She paused, then confided: “It scares me to death.”

In New York, at a Hudson River dock for ferries to New Jersey, Joanne and Tim Kilroy of Ocean City, N.J., were preparing to head home after spending the afternoon in Times Square. They were calm, but also clearly worried.

“We were in the city because Rudy Giuliani said come and spend money in New York,” Joanne said. “I think all this [the military attack] is going to make people here feel better. But it’s a bit scary not knowing what we’re getting into. It’s something that had to be done.”

There were some strong local voices in opposition: A spontaneous march protesting the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan began in Union Square and headed north up 6th Avenue. “We can’t turn our grief over the World Trade Center into a military attack on a lot of innocent people,” one marcher said.

But those protests seemed to be the exception. As a long line of people stood on the sidewalk outside the Empire State Building in New York to visit the observation deck, Mary Kelso-French emphatically supported the action.

“We’re trying to spend money to help the economy, which is not hard to do,” said Kelso-French, who had arrived with 972 other Oregonians to show support for New York. On her pocketbook was a small, round sticker that read: “Oregon loves New York.”

In front of Boston’s Fanueil Hall, people reacted warily to news of the U.S. action. German film student Steffan Kaminsky, 28, heard about the bombing on his car radio.

Kaminsky said the news wouldn’t affect his plans to stay in the United States, but added: “All of this has affected my film a little bit. I had the World Trade Center in my film. And now it’s gone.”

At the site of the trade center attacks, construction workers clearing the rubble were subdued but pleased at the news.

“It’s big-time payback,” said Charles Rios, 38, who works for a company involved in the cleanup. “I’m so happy now.”

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Times staff writers Ralph Frammolino in New York, Elizabeth Mehren in Boston, Stephanie Simon in St. Louis and Duke Helfand, David Pierson, Monte Morin and Janet Wilson in Los Angeles contributed to this report.