R001778
Monday, March 18, 2002 11:21 PM
911 Fund
To whom it may concern:
The tears I shed on September 11th have barely dried. My eyes are still red. My heart still aches. I am still dumbfounded at man's ability to bring such hurt, pain and destruction to another. Certainly, I was, and am bolstered by the spirit in which each of us supported and held each other. As an African American man, the days following September 11th, enveloped in the love and comfort of my fellow man, I, for the first time, truly felt like an American.
I, like may other Americans, gave, as I could, anything that would help. Time, muscle, hugs, money. It was also my attention to give blood. I deeply wanted to give anything I could to help heal my fellow citizens, my countrymen, people, and strangers I now called friends. I was told, and believed, as we all did, that we were a nation united in peril fortified by our pain and struggle. That we were now one, that our differences, the things that separated us, were no longer important. I was told we should set those differences aside and rise to the great calling of our time, like our forefathers did before us, and so, I did.
I tried to give blood, my blood, red, like every other Americans. Filled with the passion and toil of a life spent fighting for and believing in Freedom, as it was idealized in our constitution, as it was promised, was denied. My blood, red like every other Americans, is gay. In this country, united in peril, we were still separated, segregated, in blood. That was, to me, another terrorist attack. Only this time the enemy was more familiar. I cried for my country again on that day.
Now, more than six months later, my tears have barely dried. My eyes are still red. My hurt still aches. They said we were a nation united in our peril and struggle. They said that we should put aside our petty differences, for we were all now the same America. On September 11th, many lives were cut short, many heroes died. One of those heroes was , like the other heroes, had a mother who loved him deeply, once wrestled a gun away from a mugger on a San Francisco Street. was on flight #93. , along with other heroes like gave their life to spare us even greater pain. Senator John McCain spoke at memorial. "I love my country, and I take pride in serving her. But I cannot say that I love her more or as well as did, or the other heroes on United Flight 93 who gave their lives to prevent our enemies from inflicting an even greater injury on our country. It has been my fate to witness great courage and sacrifice for America's sake, but none greater than the selfless sacrifice of and those good men who grasped the gravity of the moment, understood the threat, and decided to fight back at the cost of their lives." "I may very well owe my life to and the others who summoned the enormous courage and love necessary to deny those depraved, hateful men their terrible triumph. Such a debt you incur for life."
Another of those heroes was . "That fateful morning last summer, while most New Yorkers were fleeing the streets surrounding the World Trade Center, the Associated Press reported that put on his helmet, raced to ground zero, and started administering last rites to the firemen already fallen. But as soon as he removed his helmet to pray over the lifeless body of fireman himself was to join the ranks of the heroes, hit by a chunk of falling debris, and instantly killed." (about.com) Over 2000 mourners came to say farewell to . His memorial was presided over by the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Edward Egan. Most notable in attendance was President William Jefferson Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
was the on flight . He dreamed of flying and died living his dream. He is survived by his partner of 14 years, . "In Washington, at least 1,000 people packed St. Matthews Cathedral on Tuesday, Sept. 18, for a memorial Mass for gay . Dozens of pilots, flight attendants, and officials from American Airlines and other airline companies attended the St. Matthews service. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams and partner of 14 years, delivered eulogies." (Washington Blade)
was a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight #11. In 1999 received the American Flight Attendant Award. is survived by his partner .
is still missing. She was an analyst working for the U.S. Armys management and budget office. It is likely that she perished when American Airlines flight #77 crashed into the Pentagon. Her partner of 17years, , survives her.
and perished on United Airlines Flight 175 when it crashed into the World Trade Center. The couple, together for ten years, had a three-year-old son, , who also lost his life on Flight #175.
is survived by her partner was once quoted as saying "I'm not afraid to die because I know where I am going is beautiful." (Washington Blade)
Today, more than six months later, I still mourn these heroes. These and others, to numerous to name, whose death, united a nation. These ordinary people, who through their sacrifice, brought us face to face with our humanity and our greatness, or rather our potential for greatness. Today, however, my mourning is different.
I am saddened today that in spite of our call for unity and patriotism, in spite of our decries of brotherhood and love, we have fallen short, once again, of our goal. Today, the sacrifice of these heroes, gay heroes, gay Americans, may go in vain.
It is inconceivable that in the face of such inhumanity heaped upon us, that in our greatest pain, we would heap inhumanity on our brothers. These victims, these heroes, deserve the same respect in their death that all those who perished on September 11th deserve. They deserve the same dignity. Those they left behind mourn as deeply, and deserve the same rights, respect, benefit and aid as other survivors.
We all were damaged on September 11th. We all hurt. Our president called us together and asked us to support one another. We cried together, we mourned together. Let us not part now. It is too soon. My tears have not yet dried, my eyes are still red. Let not, my arms be empty.
John McCain said, when eulogizing , "I will try very hard, very hard, to discharge my public duties in a manner that honors their memory. All public servants are now solemnly obliged to do all we can to help this great nation remain worthy of the sacrifice of New York City firefighters, police officers, emergency medical people, and worthy of the sacrifice of the brave passengers on Flight 93."
Let us hold, each of us, to that promise, for it is good and just. And charge our hearts and souls to make ourselves worthy of the sacrifice of these heroes, as is our duty to ourselves and to God.
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
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