July 1, 2005 |
| Dear Families and Friends, Once again, we were in Washington, DC this week to attend two very important hearings of the 9/11 Public Discourse Project (PDP). Please see our summary of Monday’s sobering panel, which focused on the topic of Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction, in the PDP update below. We will provide a summary of Tuesday’s panel on Homeland Security Challenges in our July 8 issue. Monday evening a group of VOICES 9/11 family members visited the Russian Embassy in Washington. The event was coordinated by Senator Joseph Lieberman's office as part of the VOICES’ Building Bridges Project initiative to send over 350 teddy bears to families of the victims of the attack on Beslan School #1 in Beslan, Russia. The bears were graciously accepted by the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Yuri V. Ushakov, and will be distributed to the families in time for the first anniversary of the attack on September 1. Tuesday I participated in a Congressional Wireless Caucus panel discussion on radio spectrum access hosted by Representatives Chip Pickering (R-MS) and Albert Wynn (D-MD). Representative Jane Harmon (D-CA), 9/11 Commissioners Slade Gorton and Tim Roemer participated in the discussion. The panel discussion raised awareness that Congress has failed to address the 9/11 Commission's recommendation to increase radio spectrum availability. Consequently the ability of first responders to coordinate rescue efforts is as constrained today as it was on 9/11. Congressmen Pickering and Wynn made a commitment to advocate for these necessary reforms in Congress. Wednesday VOICES joined representatives from 14 of the 9/11 family groups at a press conference held at the Washington Press Club to call for the removal of the International Freedom Center from the World Trade Center memorial site. We at VOICES will continue to advocate, along with the other 9/11 organizations, for an appropriate memorial to honor the lives of our loved ones and tell the story of 9/11. Finally, I am sure all of you are looking forward, as we are at VOICES, to spending time with your family and friends over the July 4th holiday weekend. July 4th is a day to celebrate our proud American heritage and to honor the many men and women who have made our nation great. But as always, holidays can be a time of sadness for our families as we reflect on past holidays shared with our loved ones. Cherish those memories. We will be thinking of all of you and wish you and your families a safe 4th of July weekend. Warm Regards, Mary Fetchet and the VOICES Staff
 The 9/11 Public Discourse Project hosted two hearings this week in Washington to discuss the many security threats that still face our country nearly 4 years after the attacks of September 11. The first, on Monday, focused on the possibility that terrorists could attack the homeland with WMD's, including nuclear weapons (transcript). The panel began with a frank assessment of our vulnerabilities by former Senator Sam Nunn, a longtime leader of Congressional efforts to counter nuclear proliferation who advocates stronger action to keep loose nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists. Nunn expressed dissatisfaction with the scope and the pace of efforts by the United States and Russia to ensure that nuclear material is secured. This material includes operational nuclear weapons, parts to make a bomb, and spent radioactive fuel that could be used for a deadly ‘dirty’ bomb, in which conventional explosives are used to spread radioactivity across a wide area. He said turf battles and complacency in Washington and Moscow have dangerously hamstrung counter proliferation given Al-Qaeda’s professed goal to obtain a nuclear device and use it on the United States or one of our allies...(more)
JULY 4th By Robin F. Goodman, Ph.D. VOICES of Sept. 11 Director of Family Programs Another holiday is upon us. The 4th of July is meant to celebrate our independence as a nation. But in the years since September 11th, it has taken on new meaning for many Americans. Especially for families affected by September 11th, the holiday is likely to cause complicated thoughts and feelings. Hardly a day goes by – or sometimes hardly an hour goes by – without seeing at least one reference to 9/11. The event has infiltrated what used to be routine events such as an airplane ride to visit relatives as well as serious world news such as the current situation in Iraq. And on the 4th of July, 9/11 is likely to be front and center. There will be flags, and fireworks, and talk of freedom. Families for whom September 11th has special meaning may find themselves yet again feeling different than those around them at the sights and sounds of such reminders. But even among the September 11th families, survivors, rescue workers and others, there is great variety. Some may have turned their attention elsewhere – to new projects, children or work – some are still troubled by events of the day, and some may have put their energy into causes related to September 11th. Keep in mind that independence means you should feel free to remember people and participate in events in your own personal way. The following are some suggestions for dealing with the holiday.
 Flag of RemembranceMindy Kombert and Sherry Kronenfeld In the aftermath of 9/11, Mindy Kombert and Sherry Kronenfeld took time off from their jobs to focus on the creation of The Flag of Remembrance, an enormous 20 by 27 foot American flag featuring the photographs, names, and ages of every victim of 9/11. Their hope was to create a permanent tribute to the photographs and posters of missing loved ones scattered throughout New York City in the days and weeks after 9/11. The Flag was unveiled last year in Chappaqua, NY and was also on display at VOICES Spring Information Forum this past April. Please click here for more information on the Flag of Remembrance.
The "Take Back the Memorial" campaign to ensure a respectful and appropriate memorial at Ground Zero traveled to Washington this week.
Representatives from 14 of the 9/11 family groups continued our strong stand
against the
planned International Freedom Center (IFC) with a press
conference at the Washington Press Club on Wednesday. We believe the
space set aside for the World Trade Center Memorial should honor the lives of
those who perished and tell the story of 9/11. Any other program is
inappropriate and would be a distraction from the true message. VOICES has posted remarks from some of the press conference on our website.
June 30, 2005
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