"Ladies and gentlemen, let your voices be heard."
Enter Congress: A letter to the LMDC
Power Line
Robert Shurbet of Take Back the Memorial writes with "big memorial news," sending us a copy of this letter to the president of the Lower Manhanttan Development Corporation:
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June 30, 2005
The Honorable Stefan Pryor
President
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
1 Liberty Plaza
20th Floor
New York, New York 10006
Dear Mr. Pryor:
We write today regarding the International Freedom Center (IFC), currently planned to join the World Trade Center Memorial at Ground Zero.
As you are well aware, there has been a great deal of controversy regarding what exhibits will be shown at the IFC. Reports of these exhibits do, in fact, give reasonable people cause for concern. Frankly, we worry that the project may have lost the focus that seemed so clear three and a half years ago.
The principle that should be adhered to is a simple one: on the ground once occupied by the World Trade Center, we should craft a memorial for those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
This encompasses several different aspects: the World Trade Center Memorial itself will rightly be the most direct measure, with remembrances of that day and those taken from us - their heroism, their tragedy. We will also build a new tower on that land and make it a workplace again. That is an important memorial as well.
What troubles us is the suggestion that Ground Zero is an appropriate place to host exhibits outside the scope of a September 11th memorial. As an example, veterans of World War II deserve our highest thanks; they deserve a memorial, indeed, a series of memorials, to the incredible struggle they waged on behalf of civilization. It would not make sense to site such a memorial at Gettysburg or Bull Run. Just as we would not place a World War II memorial at those locations, the IFC should not be a platform to expound issues and positions outside the direct scope of the events of September 11th.
This consideration impacts Washington because federal money is being used throughout Ground Zero for the layout and infrastructure of the new buildings. While private funds have been heavily invested as well, particularly in the IFC, federal dollars still bear a heavy load.
Adding to our concerns are the ongoing negotiations in Congress regarding the extension of Liberty Bonds and other matters. Controversy over the IFC distracts from all our efforts to make New York's case.
Next week, Congress is in recess in observance of Independence Day. It is our belief that the LMDC should use that time to refocus the IFC to reflect on the events of September 11th, 2001 and the tremendous sacrifice and loss that we suffered as a nation. We very much hope that this matter can be resolved before Congress returns to Washington on July 11th.
If at that time the LMDC can not prepare a more fitting exhibition, we will be forced to seek appropriate legislative actions and remedies to redress the situation. We thank you for your attention to this important issue and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Vito J. Fossella
Member of Congress
John E. Sweeney
Member of Congress
Peter T. King
Member of Congress
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Mr. Shurbet comments:
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We applaud the actions of Rep. Vito J. Fossella, Rep. John E. Sweeney, and Rep. Peter T. King and are looking forward with great interest to the response from the LMDC as to the fate of the International Freedom Center. It is essential that any memorial or museum built on this site remain dedicated exclusively to telling the story of 9/11, free from external interpretation or context, in the same spirit as the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Oklahoma City Memorial, the Arizona Memorial, and all other national memorials of major historical significance. Let's hope the LMDC hears the growing force of voices demanding they take back the memorial and return it to its proper focus.
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Ladies and gentlemen, let your voices be heard.
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