Take Back the Memorial: Proposed Desecration

[Annie]

http://takebackthememorial.org/?p=170

You cannot ride on the coat tails of 9/11 and then turn around and stomp on them when it’s convenient.”
September 12th, 2005

Below are the prepared rally remarks delieverd by John Lynch, father of Firefighter Michael F. Lynch.

September 10, 2005 Remarks

My name is Jack Lynch, father of FF Michael F. Lynch, who died, rescuing others, in the South Tower on 9/11/2001.

We, who have experienced great tragedy and devastation in our lives, identify with those who lost loved ones and suffered catastrophic property damage in hurricane Katrina and pledge to support our fellow citizens in the Gulf States region, in every way feasible, to help them recover from their disaster.

The best way to help them is to dig as deep as your means will allow and donate money to the reputable charitable organizations that are involved in this crucial work. This, first and foremost, is our most important obligation.

Yet, as happened immediately after 9/11, there are those among us who will use this as an opportunity for exploitation and try to take advantage of Louisiana’s horrific devastation as some did after 9/11.

Who am I referring to, the politicians, the power brokers, the carpetbaggers who have throughout history taken advantage of tragedies. They are working even now to erect a memorial that does little to remember and honor the sacrifice of those who died but rather furthers their own policies and agenda.

We, the united families of those who died on 9/11/2001, come here today, to appeal to our president, George W. Bush, and the American people, to put an immediate stop to the desecration of sacred ground at the World Trade Center site.

This site is hallowed ground, and the memorial that will stand there cannot be overshadowed or belittled by any other inappropriate structure or organization, such as the International Freedom Center, or the Tribeca Film Festival, that do not reflect the tragic events of February 26th, 1993 and September 11, 2001.

The memorial must capture the history of these two significant days and depict the evil of the terrorists and their consuming hatred for America and the freedom we enjoy.

Shortly after 9/11 our president, George W. Bush, stood on the rubble pile, where human remains still lay buried, with his arm around a retired firefighter and promised the families that the sacrifice of our loved ones who died would never be forgotten.

Well I tell you now, that they have already been forgotten by our politicians, and exploited by wealthy elitists who would callously dishonor their memories by denigrating this ground where 2749 vibrant human beings lost their lives.

They tell us they want to tell the story of America’s contribution in man’s march to freedom. They tell us they want to show man’s inhumanity to man. They tell us they want to talk about slavery in America and Martin Luther King’s fight for equality. They tell us they want to show how the free world conquered Hitler and Naziism. These are important stories to tell and should be told, elsewhere, but not at America’s memorial.

I recently went to the World War II memorial in Washington and I saw a glorious memorial to the citizen soldiers of America. I saw no International Freedom Center on that site. I visited the Vietnam, Korean, Iwo Jima memorials I saw no distraction there. I came back to my city, New York, and experienced revulsion and violation that a select few people with money and power are about to hijack the memorial where my son Michael’s spirit and the spirit of 2748 others left their corporal bodies.

We no longer have faith in our regional politicians, the LMDC, or those in charge of this process. The Governor, in recent remarks, and Tom Bernstein, in his letter to the LMDC, stated they would not allow anything inappropriate on the site. Rather disingenuous remarks, or was it just another ploy to keep dissembling, as they continue their plan to hijack America’s memorial. How do they propose to get around the First Amendment, or, in their arrogance, do they think they can censor freedom of expression. Could they be attempting to cash in on the visitors and add to their already bloated coffers?

Tom Bernstein insinuated also that Paula Berry and others on the International Freedom Board speaks for the families. They and Paula speaks for themselves and have little or no contact with the majority of the families. They have compromised their independence through constantly acquiescing to the LMDC and following whatever agenda they propose.

How does the Governor, as he stated, exact an “absolute guarantee” that no institution would do anything to dishonor those who were murdered. How will Governor Pataki enforce such a guarantee in perpetuity, for all generations to come? He cannot, his successor cannot. The solution is: Do not build it. Do not allow it.

Mr. President one of your staff stated a while ago, in response to a reporter’s question, that the memorial is a New York problem. Nothing could be further from the truth; this is an American problem as it was America that was attacked. Saying that the memorial at Ground Zero is a New York problem would be like calling Gettysburg a Pennsylvania problem or Pearl Harbor an Hawaii issue. It’s wrong and doesn’t add up. We expect better of you.

So we ask you to come to our aid and honor the promise you made as you stood on the rubble at Ground Zero, and help us to take back our memorial and ensure that nothing on the World Trade Center site will dishonor the memory of those who gave all for America.

Make no mistake. You cannot ride on the coat tails of 9/11 and then turn around and stomp on them when it’s convenient.

We ask all American citizens to log on to www.takebackthememorial.org, sign the petition and call your elected officials and tell them what you want to see at the World Trade Center site. Ask them to make the 9/11 memorial reflect only the history and events of February 26, 1993 and 9/11/2001.

We ask the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation and the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation Boards to exercise their fiduciary obligation to protect this memorial. If the IFC’s plans are allowed to proceed, over 3.65 million visitors will be turned away from the memorial every year – over 10,000 people a day. This is wrong and they know it. We must and we will take back America’s Memorial.

 

[Abbey Normal]

Thanks, Kathianne. I just signed the petition. :clap1:

 

[NATO AIR]

let's get this petition circulating, people HAVE got to know about the "blame america" crowd's attempt to desecrate the legacy of the 9/11 victims and their memorial...