As a frequent visitor to your city and country from Bombay, India, please allow me to share with you and your readers, my deep sense of distress and shock at the recent terrorists' attack on your two cities of New York and Washington DC, and in particular about the wanton destruction of the superb twin towers of the world trade center in Manhattan.
But before I pen down my thoughts on the subject, let me express my admiration and gratitude for your continuing with the daily updating of your site, in spite of the fact that you people at the ILW are currently deprived of the access to your offices at the Empire State Building.
It seems the terrorists had planned to attack and destroy the architectural symbols of three national institutions of the US, namely, the Financial hub at the towers of the World Trade Center, the military headquarters at the Pentagon, and last but not the least, the seat of the highest executive power, namely the White House itself. It looks almost certain that the very well planned attack succeeded only partly, in the sense that the airliner scheduled to hit the white house, prematurely crashed near Pittsburgh, PA, and the other one which dashed against the Pentagon reportedly hit first a helipad and therefore collided against a Pentagon wall only at an angle. This partial damage only has enabled the Pentagon to resume its working on the very next day itself.Besides, the US President is back at the supreme seat of power to guide the nation not only on rescue and rehabilitation, but also for planning an all out reprisal and retaliation actions, with the full moral support, if not the military and financial assistance, of the rest of the free and democratic world.
Thus, while it is indeed painful to bear the loss of the great towers of WTC, it is gratifying to note that the highest legislative body of the US congress, the supreme executive office of the US President and the mighty military headquarters of the US armed forces are fully alive and functional to fulfill the needs of the hour. The loss of the headquarters of the finance therefore need not and should not dishearten the American genius, known for its wealth creation.The first generations of the European, African and Asian immigrants have created in the US, the largest economy in the world out of the wild wastes of an undeveloped continent, in less than 250 years, without the aid of any colonial wealth. It is not just a wishful thinking therefore that the towers will rise again to a still greater heights, like the Sphinx who rose from the ashes.
I have a personal grief and emotions to share with you, Sir, regarding the destruction of the twin towers. The sky line of southern Manhattan was dominated by the towers, and I have often looked up to them for admiration and inspiration, sometimes even from the Empire State Building. Whenever I took a trip around the island of Manhattan in a launch of the Circle Line, I had always looked forward to the appearing and disappearing sights of the towers as the launch went round the southern tip of Manhattan.Often I would go to Brooklyn promenade just to watch the sentinels of Manhattan in an evening sky. The beauty of the dominating towers among the other sky scrapers of Manhattan as seen across the Hudson from the New Jersey side was simply undescribable. Now, I can not bear the thought that when I visit New York next time, I would miss all these. Something more than a pair of buildings have been lost. A symbol of American genius and American enterprise has disappeared. My heart weeps for the human civilization and Man's Rights and freedoms which the towers represented.
I can well understand what the Americans and particularly New Yorkers must be feeling to day. But I am sure the towers would rise again. No doubt, at present, the rescue and rehabilitation of the survivors and perhaps the mass burials of unidentified dead bodies are a priority. It is also true that every American, and every freedom loving individual on the planet would be screaming for reprisal and retaliation.But let the American traditions of Justice be upheld. Let the retaliation commence only after the guilt of the guilty is established.and only against the guilty. Of course, in a crime of this magnitude, every individual, institution and country who sheltered, nurtured, trained, financed and/or helped the perpetrators of the crime in any manner whatsoever are equally guilty as accessories before and after the facts of the crime. And all these evil forces must be destroyed from the face of the earth once and for all. The whole civilized world who respect rights and freedoms must join hands with your government in meting out the justice. Evil has triumphed to day. But the good must vanquish the evil in the end.
But that end would only be a beginning. Reconstruction must follow the retaliation. Let the new towers of greater heights, even higher than the twin towers of Kuala Lumpur rise at the same place to recreate the sky line of Manhattan. Perhaps, the new towers created by using the new technology can be brought into existence much faster than the time the original towers took to construct.
BUT IF THE TOWERS ARE TO REPRESENT THE CHERISHED VALUES OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, LET THE MONEY FLOW VOLUNTARILY FROM AMERICAN INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS TO FULLY FINANCE THE COST OF REBUILDING. LET NOT THE GOVERNMENT USE ITS COERSIVE POWERS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE NEW TOWERS.
When the French people gifted the statue of Liberty to the city of New York, it needed a large and tall pedestal to stand on to reach and command the height that it has to day. But, as I understand evert cent needed for the purpose came voluntarily from the New Yorkers.by way of contributions.
THAT IS WHY THE STATUE STANDS AS A SYMBOL OF LIBERTY FOR EVERY GENERATION OF IMMIGRANTS WHO REACHED THE SHORES OF YOUR GREAT COUNTRY. LET THE PROPOSED TOWERS BUILT IN THE SAME MANNER STAND AS A BEACON OF FREEDOM FOR THE GENERATIONS OF FRESH IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY REACH IN FUTURE THE SAME SHORES WITH THE SIMILAR HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS.
Thanks and regards,
SAMEER KUMAR
BOMBAY, INDIA
Dear Editor,
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