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Feburary 05, 2009
Dear Families and Friends,
President Obama met Friday, February 6th with approximately 40 victims of both the 9/11 and USS Cole terrorist attacks, including my husband Frank and me, to discuss the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo and related topics.
The subject is highly emotional for family members who lost loved ones on these tragic occasions. Many have worried closing Guantanamo will mean the terrorists responsible for thousands of deaths will escape justice or be free to commit additional crimes against our nation.
The President met with us for an hour. He began by thanking us for “serving as the nation’s conscience” and went on to explain that he is determined to ensure “swift and certain justice.” His intention in closing the Guantanamo facility is to strengthen our legal and moral standing, so terrorists’ convictions will stand up to scrutiny, and so US counterterrorism efforts can proceed untainted. He assured us keeping the American people safe is his top priority.
We were very grateful to President Obama for inviting the families for a frank and productive discussion on this sensitive topic. It was important to hear his thoughts and plans, and to share our views. While victims hold a range of opinions on the closing of Guantanamo, most express a consistent message: fair trials must be held as soon as possible, and those found responsible must be held accountable. It was reassuring to know President Obama shares these sentiments and respects our thoughts and experiences.
Indeed, he said "This is just the start of our dialogue," and promised we would continue to meet with his administration. His words, "This is not a goodbye - it's a hello," and the time he spent hearing our stories, looking at photos of our loved ones, meant a great deal to everyone present.
Please know that VOICES will do everything in its power to build on the momentum established during this important meeting, advocating for victims of terrorism and promoting the reforms needed to keep our nation safe.
Media coverage of the meeting was extensive. The following sites are but a small sample, which you might visit for additional details: The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Daily News and the White House.
VOICES Programs and events
9/11 Living Memorial Workshop Schedule VOICES is putting together its workshop schedule for 2009. If you would like us to come to your neighborhood, please contact us so we can consider including it in our schedule for the coming year. For more information, or to register for the workshops below, contact Michelle Doherty at VOICES of September 11th, (203) 966-3911 or by e-mail to mdoherty@voicesofsept11.org. You can also schedule an individual Living Memorial appointment at our Connecticut office.
VOICES, New Canaan Date: Friday, February 6th Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm by Appointment Location: Voices of September 11th, 161 Cherry Street, Second Floor, New Canaan, CT
KBW, New York
Manhasset, New York
Bayside, New York
Teleconference Schedule: Voices of September 11th offers teleconference groups that are facilitated by our mental health professionals. The teleconference groups provide an opportunity for those impacted by 9/11 to talk with others that share their same experience. Please contact our office at (203) 966-3911 if you are interested in participating.
Monday, February 9th: Wives with No or Older Children Teleconference Group 10:30am to 11:30am Monday, February 9th: Witness/Survivor Teleconference Group 4:00pm to 5:15pm Tuesday, February 10th: Parents Tuesday AM Teleconference Group 11:00am to 12:15pm Wednesday, February 11th: Siblings Teleconference Group 2:30pm to 3:30pm
In the News
What is the WMD Commission?
Switch to Digital TV Delayed to June Both the House and the Senate have now passed legislation to extend the deadline for the transition to digital TV from February 17 to June 12, giving Americans four additional months to prepare. President Obama is likely to sign the bill into law. While most are ready, millions remain unprepared for a variety of reasons. VOICES continues to advocate for a smooth transition; the additional airwaves are needed for first responder communications in an emergency like 9/11. To learn how you can prepare for the switch, go to the government’s DTV web site at: http://www.dtv.gov/. To read more on the Congressional debate, visit the NY Times.
Guantanamo Transfers to Saudi Arabian Program Will Continue The Pentagon remains committed to transferring as appropriate former Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Saudi Arabia’s rehabilitation program, despite the program’s inability to prevent two ex-detainees from joining al-Qaeda. To date, more than 100 prisoners have been sent through the program, where they are encouraged to abandon Islamic extremism. Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Jeffrey Gordon, a Pentagon spokesman, admires the program, stating: "The best you can do is work with partner nations in the international community to ensure that they take the steps to mitigate the threat ex-detainees pose. There are never any absolute guarantees. There's an inherent risk in all detainee transfers and releases from Guantanamo." Read more at the Washington Post.
Bill to Address 9/11 Health Crisis Reintroduced to Congress Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), and Michael McMahon (D-NY) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to address the many health issues that emerged in first responders and others following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. To read their press release, and see the bill itself, visit Rep. Maloney’s web site.
Congress Moves to Protect Whistleblowers The House of Representatives has voted to strengthen whistleblower protections for a variety of federal employees, including employees involved in national security and scientific research. Previous attempts at such legislation, which aims to root out abuses of authority and also misspending, were difficult to push through and faced veto by the Bush administration. The latest attempt is more likely to succeed. Read more at the Washington Post.
Should September 11th be a Holiday? Lawmakers across the nation have suggested that September 11th be declared a holiday, in order to ensure that its significance will never be forgotten. However, to date, no state, not even New York, has done so. To learn why, visit the LA Times.
Columbia Identifies Risk Factors in World Trade Center Evacuation Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have studied the factors affecting the World Trade Center (WTC) evacuation on September 11. The findings are important to prepare for future emergencies, and the researchers have therefore issued recommendations for high-rise workers.
CDC Issues Report on Terrorism Preparedness The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has produced a report on Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response-Funded Activities. To read the report, which describes how public health will be protected in an emergency, visit the CDC.
See the Latest 9/11 Health News and Scientific Research Visit New York City’s 9/11 Health site.
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The Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism was established by Congress in 2007 in accordance with 9/11 Commission recommendations. The independent panel, led by Commission Chairman, former Senator Bob Graham (D-FL), and Vice-Chairman, former Senator Jim Talent (R-MO), examined evidence from more than 250 military, political and academic experts. Their report, released in December 2008, assesses “our nation’s progress in preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism,” and provides “a roadmap to greater security with concrete recommendations for improvement,” according to the Commission’s website. It concluded that an attack utilizing unconventional weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear or biological weapons is likely to occur by 2013 unless urgent preventive actions are taken by the US and its allies. The US is a prime target. The bi-partisan Commission made 13 recommendations to address the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. To visit the Commission’s web site and view the report,