Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g8BIw6X21682; Wed, 11 Sep 2002 14:58:07 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 14:58:07 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <a05100300b9a56dcf6918@[63.210.221.248]> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Gail Spangenberg <gspangenberg@caalusa.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:895] 9/11 Message from Neil Calman X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" Status: O Content-Length: 5276 Lines: 103 Colleagues, A friend shared the following statement with me today, and I want to share it with you. I don't know its author, but I'm told that he is Neil Calman, a physician who heads an organization called The Institute for Urban Family Health here in NYC. I assume that Dr. Calman meant Iraq when he said Iran, and some of us may not agree with all of his views, but, still, his words are food for thought. They are deeply inspiring and filled with sensitivity. Gail S 9-11-2002 Dear Friends: At 10:00 am today, I am asking that all Institute affiliated sites observe 5 minutes of silent contemplation out of respect for the tragedy that we experienced on this date last year. Please share the following thoughts from me with your colleagues by copying this memorandum and distributing it this morning: As we sit and remember the horrors of 9-11 last year, many of us are flooded with anger and hate and disgust at the thought of what happened that day. I know that I am frequently haunted by visions of people trapped on the top floors of the Trade Center calling their loved ones to say goodbye from their cell phones, leaving messages on answering machines bidding farewell to their families - as well as those who struggled aboard a jet in Pennsylvania, sacrificing their lives to save others who they did not even know. These stories stir our emotions and enrage us, boosting our sense of patriotism and, at the same time, increasing our rage against those who would commit such a crime against us all. But the underlying story is not about buildings and planes, nor even about the 2801 people who died as a result of the tragedy of 9-11, but a story about bigotry and the hatred that people around the world breed into their children, and pass from generation to generation. I pray that today, in our remembrances of this tragic day, that we will dedicate ourselves to examining our own prejudices and renew our commitment to teaching our children and friends that in the entire history of the planet, nothing good has ever come from a war over religious, economic or racial biases which divide us. We seem to be on the verge of initiating a new war - one against Iran - not the land and buildings of that country, but the people of that country. As health care providers it is particularly tragic to imagine our country inflicting injury and death on thousands of Iranians while we come to work here, doing school physicals and check-ups on New Yorkers. The message is clear. We value the lives of New Yorkers more than we value the life of an Iranian family we may bomb. For those of you who lived through the Viet Nam war era, you may remember how our country tried to teach us to hate a people who lived thousands of miles away and with whom most of had never had a single contact. To hate the North Vietnamese and to favor war meant you were a patriotic American. To oppose the war and work for peace was considered close to treason. We were taught in school that if Viet Nam fell to the communists, all of Southeast Asia and then the entire world, would be at risk of becoming communist. And many believed that as truth. Just last week, I was out fishing with my father in our small boat and a man, about my age was drifting in his boat only a few feet away. We were fishing for fluke, a good eating fish, but hard to catch. His line was hit by a large fish and after a slight struggle, he reeled in a sea robin, a fish that is not edible but one that frequently steals the fisherman's bait - a fish that many think is a nuisance. Moments before we had caught one and released it unharmed. He pulled in this Sea Robin and held it up for all the surrounding boats to see then pulled out a large Bowie knife and held it to its throat. He screamed to all the boats - "Now I will show you what we did to all those Gooks in Viet Nam" - and he slit the fish's throat and threw it up in the air until in landed back in the water. 30 years after the war was over - the hatred lives on in this man - and is spread to those around him - and undoubtedly to his children. That hatred is the enemy. It lives quietly in all of us. Those who would bring us to war are experts in arousing it and convincing us that we should fight and hate a people who we have never taken the time to know. On this September 11, I will pray for peace and for our Nation and others to have the intelligence to stop escalating the racial and religious hatred that breeds war and death, creates poverty and starvation in countries around the world, keeps poor countries in a position to focus their resources on war rather than economic development, and which breeds intolerance into our children. We will end terrorism only by ending the desperation in the lives of those who grow up in homes filled with hopelessness about their future and we will only end that hopelessness when we realize that we are all brothers and sisters and responsible to help one another - people to people - nation to nation. I pray that the memory of those we lost on September 11th, 2001 will be sanctified by our commitment to peace and tolerance and concern for all fellow human beings. PEACE. Let's hope it starts today. Neil Calman MD --
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