Take Back The 9-11 Memorial Rally in NYC 9 Days Away

The families of those lost in the 9-11 tragedy, will hold a rally in 9 days in NYC to mark the anniversary of the most unimaginable act of terror this country had seen until that day. I have mixed feelings about the rally; I wish the families and their cause Godspeed, but today the dangers surrounding a rally with political interest worry me. The potential for a clash between various groups or the attraction to terrorists is a real concern. And these people have been through so much pain, I can't help feeling protective of them and their cause. If you are a 9-11 family member who's attending the rally, I can understand why you feel you need to be there on that date but, be careful first of all, and also--and the group asks this of you-- please contact the group to let them know you are coming. Their site also shares other steps you can take to help the families make sure the victims get their rightful, respectful hallowed ground memorial. The emphasis below is mine.

According to Tim Sumner, a 9-11 family member, "While Americans attend 9/11 memorial events around the country and 9/11 family members gather at Ground Zero, nearby an “international cultural summit” will be hosted by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, September 8-11, 2005. Board members of both the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and organizers of the International Freedom Center will attend. The summit will conduct panel discussions about cultural protests and presumably which of them are “appropriate” for downtown and (will) display political “art” that disparages our country On 9/11 itself, the summit attendees will be taken on a walking tour of the World Trade Center site while below them, in The Pit, 9/11 family members will be at bedrock remembering the 3,000 they lost. This is how some of the caretakers of Sacred Ground, on the anniversary of the worst attack in our country's history, chose to treat the memory of that difficult day. The summit will even honor the late Susan Sontag, who, less than two weeks after the attacks, called the murderous 19 courageous..."

"This is the kind of moral equivalency which denigrates and disrespects those who died, those who gave their lives to save them. It declares "morally neutral" the kind of "courage" required to sacrifice one's life to kill as many innocent men, women and children as possible, with the willingness to die in order to save as many as one can. Do we entrust Ground Zero to people who cannot recognize the difference?" READ MORE

See also the link below and the article in my Links and Essentials list on the right by Debra Burlingame, The Great Ground Zero Heist.