| New
York City, America |
| Denzel Washington, an actor whose talents I have admired
for years, said on NBC's The Today Show last week that no
one but a New Yorker could fully appreciate the gravity of
the tragedy that befell that city on Sept. 11. |
| Mr. Washington fails to recognize the anguish felt by all
Americans. New York City is America's hometown, a city that
since its existence has welcomed immigrants to America, immigrants
who went on to build America from coast to coast. |
| When those two airplanes flew into the towers in New York
City, it did more than destroy buildings and the lives of
thousands of people who were killed there, but it damaged
the hearts and souls of all Americans, no matter where they
live. |
| Last week my wife and I drove to a wedding in Indiana where
we visited both the cities of Lafayette and Indianapolis.
From what we saw, for every flag flying on the East Coast,
there were 10 flying in Middle America. |
| It gave me a real feeling of being united with all of our
American brothers and sisters. |
| I only wish Mr. Washington and others from around the world
can understand how this tragedy, this assault on every one
of our senses, is felt deeply by everyone throughout the country. |
| |
| Lest We |
| Forget |
| I have had so many people tell me this past week that they
are tired of seeing the video-taped and photographed destruction
of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Enough is enough,
they say. |
| However, we should never forget Sept. 11 and must remind
ourselves, the president and Congress that we must never rest
until this war ends in victory for America. |
| Seeing those images can only help remind us of the tragic
deaths of thousands of Americans and the terror of the assault
on America. |
| I might even suggest a lapel pin showing the World Trade
Center Towers shortly after the airplanes flew into them,
or the Pentagon with the ugly hole in its side, as reminders
that we should never forget what happened on Sept. 11. |
| |
| Making Money |
| on Tragedy |
| From a ShatterGARD press release: |
| "During the recent World Trade Center terrorist attack,
numerous deaths and injuries resulted from shards of glass.
In the Oklahoma City bombing, more than 50 percent of the
injuries sustained were the result of flying glass. |
| "Jordan Frankel, vice president of ShatterGARD, an expert
on glass fragmentation retention, is available for quotes,
interviews and as a source of information. |
| "The company's product, BlastGARD, a glass protection film,
was developed as a defense against bomb blasts, explosions
and flying glass. BlastGARD adheres to the interior of the
window and in the event of a major explosion helps hold the
razor sharp glass fragments together." |
| American capitalism at its best. Or maybe at its worst. |
| |
| National Airport |
| Opening Positive? |
| President Bush has ordered the reopening of Reagan National
Airport under tight security controls. However, controversy
still swirls around the decision. |
| There is one reason the airport will reopen: Congressmen
love its convenience. And while the economic ramifications
for keeping the airport closed are great, what is the price
of security and safety? |
| Even the Herndon-Dulles Chamber of Commerce has put forth
its own position on the opening of National. In an e-mailed
press release the chamber says: |
| "Here's a fast, easy way that you and your employees can
help get Reagan National Airport re-opened ASAP! A new Board
of Trade website lets you tell the president and Congress
that you support re-opening this gateway to our Nation's Capital." |
| Keeping National closed would actually help the Reston,
Herndon, Loudoun portion of this area. The main benefit would
be that a rail line to Dulles Airport would be expedited.
|
| The fact remains that National Airport would never be allowed
to be built today. There are better, and much safer, alternatives
to reopening the airport: like keeping it closed. |
| And that's Our Town this week. |
