EDITORIAL

There’s lots of people paying lip service to our country’s unity these

days. But talking about unity and acting on it seem to be two different

things.

We believe it shouldn’t be and urge our residents to support local

business, and in turn businesses should support us. That’s not how things

are going, though.

Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, businesses across the

board started laying off workers. It started, mainly, with major air

carriers, such as American Airlines, which had two airliners used in the

East Coast attacks.

Travel experts warned that the industry could slow down as a result of

the attacks and the ensuing airline layoffs. With that news came

slowdowns and layoffs at hotels, restaurants and airport concessionaires.

For the most part, we worry that the layoffs have been made too

hastily. While some of those moves were inevitable in the midst of the

slowdown, they could have been performed more tactfully, certainly not

immediately after what has so severely affected our nation economically

and emotionally.

We wish businesses would hang in there a little longer. Don’t forget,

all of those businesses are going to put up the hiring signs again when

the economy picks up. With any luck, many of those people who were laid

off in September will have found jobs and won’t be available.

These moves tend to slow the economy both nationally and, eventually,

locally. With Huntington Beach feeling the trickle-down effects as well,

there is something we all can do.

Go out and buy things.

Doors to businesses throughout the city are open. Maybe the weather

this weekend will grace us with some warmth and sunshine, making a trip

to Downtown a joy. And even if it’s a little cool, it’ll be warm inside.

And once the weekend is over, don’t stop using that purchasing power.

Huntington Beach has plenty of great businesses that have fine

products to sell. At this important time, help boost the local economy

because, after all, that’ll trickle back to aid the other economies in

the county, state and, eventually, the nation -- united we hope in good

times and bad.