I was a speaker for Earth Day New York at the Windows on the World restaurant in the World Trade Center when David Deakins was Mayor.
After 9/11, I was part of the support staff and facilitators when we did a public process for envisioning the design of the reconstruction of the site. We had 5,000 people participate at the Jacob Javits Center. Five hundred tables of 10 people, each with a survivor, survivor family member or first responder at every table.
It was high tech with wireless networks, apple laptops, servers, mini computers and CAD/CAM design tools, so that suggestions could be visualized and voted on in a totally interactive way.
When I was touring the WTC site and looking at the gaping hole that was once the site of all those buildings, I strangely felt nothing.
But, looking at the huge American Flag draped from a nearby building, I got chill bumps and every hair on my body stood straight up.
Across the street on the wrought iron fence surrounding a church were banners, signs, flags from all over the world.
Flowers, stuffed animals and candles lined the fence.
Everybody who stood by that fence wept uncontrollably, including me. The kind that wracks your whole body.
Everyone was quiet and polite not just at the fence, but all over town. New York City. And, all over the country.
On the streets we shook each others hands and patted each other on the back.
There was no mention of politics or political parties or liberals or conservatives. There was no mention of African Americans, Italian Americans, Irish Americans or any other hyphenated Americans.
We were all just Americans. Americans. Proud Americans. United, polite, respectful and proud to all be Americans.
There was a public service ad that ran on TV showing every race, creed and color of American all saying individually and collectively.
“I am an American.”
Remember that feeling.
Not just the horror and trauma and reflexive hate for those who committed this. Or even the sorrow and human suffering and grief of the families.
Remember how we cried, sobbed and grieved. Remember those we lost and remember the individual heroism of those who ran toward the fire, ran toward the chaos.
But, maybe above all remember how it felt to be polite, feeling, kind and empathetic toward each other. Remember how it felt to be united and part of the greatest experiment in human history. Being an American connected and united by common cause.
E Pluribus Unum
And, take a minute to remember how different you felt after Jan. 6.
That is why no foreign enemy can ever conquer us. They can only brings us closer together.
Jan. 6 was much more dangerous and damaging to our nation because it divided us and only produced hate, division, denial and shame.
David Crockett
Former Councilman
Hixson