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Not
in our son's name
By
Phyllis and Orlando Rodriguez
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Phyllis
and Orlando Rodriguez's son Greg was one of the victims at the
World Trade Centre. They sent this and a letter addressed to
President Bush to the New York Times. They may be the only ones to
have written this but the views and thoughts reflect those of
others.
With
the possibility of other countries becoming the next targets in
the "War on Terrorism", the views expressed are still
relevant.
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"It
is not the time to act like bullies. We urge you to think about how
our government can develop peaceful, rational solutions to
terrorism, solutions that do not sink us to the inhuman level of
terrorists."
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New York,
September 15, 8:35 pm
Our son Greg is among the many missing from the World Trade Centre
attack. Since we first heard the news, we have shared moments of
grief, comfort, hope, despair, fond memories with his wife, the two
families, our friends and neighbors, his loving colleagues at Cantor
Fitzgerald/ESpeed, and all the grieving families that daily meet at
the Pierre Hotel.
We see our hurt and anger reflected among everybody we meet. We
cannot pay attention to the daily flow of news about this disaster.
But we read enough of the news to sense that our government is
heading in the direction of violent revenge, with the prospect of
sons, daughters, parents, friends in distant lands dying, suffering,
and nursing further grievances against us. It is not the way to go.
It will not avenge our son's death. Not in our son's name.
Our son died a victim of an inhuman ideology. Our actions should not
serve the same purpose. Let us grieve. Let us reflect and pray. Let
us think about a rational response that brings real peace and
justice to our world. But let us not as a nation add to the
inhumanity of our times.
Letter to the White House
Dear President Bush:
Our son is one of the victims of Tuesday's attack on the World Trade
Centre. We read about your response in the last few days and about
the resolutions from both Houses, giving you undefined power to
respond to the terror attacks.
Your response to this attack does not make us feel better about our
son's death. It makes us feel worse. It makes us feel that our
government is using our son's memory as a justification to cause
suffering for other sons and parents in other lands.
It is not the first time that a person in your position has been
given unlimited power and came to regret it. This is not the time
for empty gestures to make us feel better. It is not the time to act
like bullies. We urge you to think about how our government can
develop peaceful, rational solutions to terrorism, solutions that do
not sink us to the inhuman level of terrorists.
Sincerely,
Phyllis and Orlando Rodriguez |
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This
was first published in September 19, 2001 edition of 
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