Bringing Conscience to Ground Zero

For weeks and weeks, the New York Times has promoted the proposed International Freedom Center at Ground Zero while personally attacking the 9/11 families seeking to preserve the dignity of the memorial. The Times has criticized the Take Back the Memorial campaign as an attempt to squelch free speech. It has called supporters of the organization "un-American" and bashed 9/11 family members, like Debra Burlingame.

However, in spite of the nastiness of its reporting and editorials, I doubt even the Times will go so far as to slime the heroes of 9/11.

Last week, NY firefighters withdrew their support for the WTC Memorial Foundation because of the International Freedom Center.

NY’s Bravest Withdraw Support for World Trade Center Memorial Foundation

The Uniformed Firefighters Association, representing over 22,000 active and retired New York City Firefighters has announced it has withdrawn its support for the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Inc.

In a letter dated July 27, 2005, the union cited its objection to the foundation’s support for the International Freedom Center and the Drawing Center to be located at the final resting place of many of the rescue workers and victims of the attacks.

“We must never forget that 343 firefighters perished during the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11,” said Steve Cassidy, UFA President. “Currently, our membership and our 9-11 families believe that the memorial design will take away from the memory and sacrifice of the firefighters who bravely gave their lives during the most horrific terrorist attacks our country has had to face.”

The Uniformed Firefighters Association was one of the early groups to support the efforts of the Foundation, along with former U.S. Presidents Ford, Carter, Bush, and Clinton.

The union’s support was given well before the Foundation made public its support and selection of organizations that have indicated they would likely sponsor events having nothing at all to do with remembering and memorializing the sacrifices of the rescue workers and victims of the attacks and may at times run contrary to that memory.

At issue is the Foundation’s support and fundraising for the current design plans of the World Trade Center memorial, which would include the International Freedom Center and a Drawing Center, in close proximity to the footprints of the World Trade Center memorial. A planned memorial for the victims is seen as insufficient and inadequate, given the prominent role being granted for the IFC and Drawing Center.

The Foundation is seeking to raise $500 million towards support of these activities.

Mr. Cassidy added, “While the Foundation’s efforts to raise funds for a memorial are to be applauded, the current plan is unacceptable. New York City Firefighters and other rescue workers are estimated to have saved more than 25,000 lives that day. This was the largest civilian rescue operation of its kind and its victims must be at the forefront of whatever memorial is cast and not forced to play third fiddle.”

He concluded, “Just as the Pearl Harbor Memorial serves as a remembrance to our American soldiers who died on December 7, 1941 at the hands of an unprovoked attack on our nation, the World Trade Center Memorial must be focused on reflecting what happened here in New York on September 11, 2001.”

To many of us outside the cirlces of the self-proclaimed enlightened liberal elite, the agenda of the WTC Memorial Foundation is unacceptable.

WE DON'T WANT A MEMORIAL THAT BASHES AMERICA.

WE WANT TO MEMORIALIZE THE VICTIMS AND THE HEROES OF 9/11.

DOUGLAS FEIDEN of the New York Daily News writes:

Another insult to America's heritage at Freedom Center

How International Freedom Center risks fostering anti-U.S. sentiment

A global network of human rights museums is urging the International Freedom Center to downplay America in its exhibits and programs at Ground Zero, the Daily News has learned.

The outrageous request is the latest controversy to torment the Freedom Center, whose leaders have tried to dispel the perception that it would be a home for America bashers.

"Don't feature America first," the IFC has been advised by the consortium of 14 "museums of conscience" that quietly has been consulting with the Freedom Center for the past two years over plans for the hallowed site. "Think internationally, where America is one of the many nations of the world."

Those words rang hollow with some 9/11 family members.

"I can't think of a greater insult than to invite museums from other countries of the world to come and exploit what should be America's memorial," said Jack Lynch, who helped carry the body of his firefighter son Michael, 30, out of the rubble.

"If you're going to explore slavery, the Holocaust or women's rights, you should do it at Chelsea Piers or on the East River waterfront - anywhere but Ground Zero," said Debra Burlingame, whose brother Charles, 51, was the pilot of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

"After all, it was not slavery that caused the terrorists to attack us," said Burlingame, who has led the fight to bar the IFC.

Under fire from 9/11 family members and Gov. Pataki, the IFC on July 6 pronounced itself proudly patriotic, vowed never to "blame America" and said it would celebrate the nation's "leading role in the global fight for freedom."

In April, however, the Freedom Center said on its Web site and newsletter that it had "drawn inspiration" and received "important practical advice" from the International Coalition of Historic Site Museums of Conscience.

"We have many, many advisers who have given us lots of advice," Richard Tofel, Freedom Center president, said last week. "Some of it we've taken and some of it we haven't - that's the nature of advice."

He said the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington had most inspired the IFC's vision, and that the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Illinois was also offering extensive advice.

The firefighters union already has demanded the Freedom Center be booted from Ground Zero, and state officials have given it until Sept. 23 to satisfy the objections of family members.

Located in nine countries on five continents, the coalition museums chronicle apartheid in South Africa, slavery in Senegal, torture in Argentina, racism in the South and internment of Japanese-Americans in California, along with other historical horrors.

"No one in the civilized world would ever defend what happened on 9/11," said Sarwar Ali, the coalition's chairman and a trustee of the Liberation War Museum in Bangladesh.

"But what happened after 9/11 - with restrictions placed on human rights and the cycle of revenge and the allegations of human rights abuses in prisons - must also be explored," Ali said in a call from London.

Coalition members gathered for their annual conference at a Holocaust site in the Czech Republic in July 2004 - and assailed the United States for "reasserting its power in an arrogant way," the conference report shows.

Among its suggestions for the place where the United States was attacked and nearly 3,000 innocents massacred: "The Freedom Center must signal its openness to contrary ideas."

Philip Kunhardt, the Freedom Center's editorial director, was in attendance at a session called Bringing Conscience to Ground Zero and was given this advice:

n "Help distinguish between American people and the U.S. government in exhibits ..."

n "Use reports from human rights organizations to examine contemporary abuse of rights."

n "Involve the United Nations, UNESCO and other international bodies."

n "Use the museum as a venue for international meetings, where all views are welcomed and considered."

At the conference, the coalition also leveled barbs at the IFC: "The Freedom Center is a caricature of the typical American response to everything [telling every story from an American viewpoint]."

Members of the coalition also expressed these concerns:

n "It seems that whatever Americans want, Americans get!" the conference report states. "Is the definition of the 'struggle for freedom' simply defined by the victors, or also by those engaged in ongoing struggles? Will Americans really create a balanced vision of freedom?"

n "The WTC was attacked because it was a symbol of power and influence. In building the Freedom Tower, the U.S. reasserts its power in an arrogant way: Does this mean the U.S. will not only build the biggest building, but also define freedom for the world?"

n "Many nonsecular Muslims may be very skeptical about the intent of this museum (e.g. the average Bangladeshi condemns the Sept. 11 attacks, yet at the same time feels his/her human rights have been violated by the U.S.)."

Kunhardt, an ordained Episcopal minister and the writer of the PBS series "Freedom: A History of Us," mostly listened. He agreed with some things that were said, disagreeing with others, an observer said. He didn't return calls.

Tofel said preliminary plans call for an exchange of exhibits with some coalition museums.

"It is hoped and expected that temporary exhibits at the IFC will originate at, or travel to, some of the Historic Site Museums of Conscience - and perhaps vice versa," he said in an E-mail.

WHAT???

This is the WTC Memorial Foundation's idea of "bringing conscience to Ground Zero"???

The ONLY "conscience" that should be referenced at the site is the complete lack of conscience that enabled the terrorists to slaughter innocents and bring down the World Trade Center.

I am so thankful that the Take Back the Memorial campaign and the various 9/11 families organizations, as well as the Uniformed Firefighters Association, have worked to raise awareness and are trying to stop the "Hate America" crowd from hijacking the memorial at Ground Zero.

The people that want to have "openness to contrary ideas" can take their International Freedom Center somewhere else and wallow in their anti-Americanism on some other piece of land.

They have every right to establish a museum that condemns America's "arrogance."

They do not have the right to put their center at the site where nearly 3000 innocent people were killed by radical Islamic fundamentalists. They do not have the right to take away from the sacrifice and heroism of the first responders.

NOT AT GROUND ZERO!