Mail Call

Stunned by the horror of Sept. 11, more than 4,000 NEWSWEEK readers shared their thoughts with us. Here are some of their voices.

I'm grateful to you for creating such a terrific Special Report (Sept. 24) on the horrible tragedy that touched us all on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. Since I live in Arizona and have never been to New York, I can only imagine what life is now like there, after watching TV reports. The pictures in your latest magazine made me stop to think about how lucky I was and what just a few people could do to hurt so many others out of pure hate. It saddened me to see the look of terror on the faces of many people in New York, and to see the big empty space that used to be the two huge World Trade Center buildings. You are doing a great job and have been very informative. Thanks for all of your hard work and time!
Natalie Ivan
Peoria, Ariz.

Sept. 11, 2001, will be remembered as a very dark day by all Americans. However, I believe history will also record it as a black day for international terrorism. Those who would do us harm should recall the words of Japanese Adm. Isokuru Yamamoto, the last person to successfully execute a surprise attack on us. In the 1970 movie "Tora! Tora! Tora!" he is quoted as having said: "All we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." He understood Americans. We are the kindest people on earth and the slowest to anger. It takes a lot to get us mad, but once you do, we do not rest until we have extracted the last ounce of retribution. Osama bin Laden, Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, Hizbullah, Hamas, the Taliban, Iran, Iraq and all the rest, you are on notice--your days are numbered. Oh, and by the way, while you destroyed one symbol of America's power and damaged another, an additional emblem of our financial might, The Wall Street Journal, was published the next day, just as usual.
Chris Daly
Yucaipa, Calif.

Thank you for the wonderful article on President George W. Bush in your Sept. 24 special report ("A President Finds His True Voice"). The author, Howard Fineman, puts into words what we who voted for Bush have known all along: that he is a president with great resolve to serve our country with dignity and honor.
Alison A. Shurtleff
Benicia, Calif.

I am the mother of a 16-year-old son. The horror that took place on Sept. 11 was a tragedy that I had hoped Jordan would never witness. But like the rest of us, he did. He was asked to write an editorial for his high-school newspaper, and I wanted to share a 16-year-old's thoughts with you: "In 1941 the Washington Redskins played the Philadelphia Eagles in Washington, D.C. The date was December 7th, the day of the surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor. The game began after the attack had started. The news reached the president of the Redskins, who decided not to inform all the fans about the attack, pointing out that it could lead to a great sadness. The fans at the game were very special in that the devastation of the attack was not known to them. Those people were allowed just a few more precious hours of purity of heart, of peace and of escape from the horrible tragedies that lay before them. Flash ahead to Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The second bell has rung and I'm walking to my Psych class. It's a normal walk. The kind I make every day. I'm sure that I talked to people. I'm sure that I slapped a few hands and shook a few hands. One thing I'm sure I didn't do was think of what was waiting for me. That walk to Psych class was, for me, like the aforementioned football game. It was the beginning of the end of the way things once were. It was the beginning of the lingering sick feeling in my stomach. I walked into class and saw on the TV screen the World Trade Center on fire. I saw the beginning of a world where everyone is now worried. That walk to Psych was the last time that I was myself, not someone who has been forever altered by the events I witnessed Tuesday morning."
Kathy Beane
Ballston, N.Y.

I have just received my Sept. 24 issue, "After the Terror." I haven't even had time to read it yet, but I wanted to say thank you for the cover picture. I have wondered what the icon of this event would be and am pleased with your choice. In showing the flag being raised out of the rubble, you have chosen a positive image--the strength and resilience of Americans, and the specific bravery of those members of the NYPD and FDNY who risked and sometimes lost their lives in the hope of saving others.
Jodi Williams
Decatur, Ala.

Did any of us believe our eyes on Sept. 11? Buildings exploded, innocent lives were lost and a country "changed, changed utterly," as Yeats wrote in "Easter 1916." New York took the hit for all of us, but from whom? London knew its civilians were targets of the Luftwaffe, but our cowardly enemies hide. I am sorry my children have seen what I tell them is the most horrible thing I've seen in my 46 years. My 11-year-old thought her field-trip pictures of the pre-disaster New York skyline showed something "beautiful." She was right. My heart goes out to New York. It will be America's "terrible beauty." We are all now New Yorkers.
Mary Ellen Quindlen
Wallingford, Pa.

When I hear "suicide bombers," I feel I'm hearing only half the story. "Suicide bomber" sounds so isolated and self-inflicted: the poor terrorist! Wouldn't it be a more accurate reflection of the new reality to call these murderers "homicide bombers"?
Sally Kannemeyer
Richmond, Va.

I plan to keep your Sept. 24 issue. If I should become complacent about striking back at the monsters who did this, if I complain about the inconveniences we all might face after this incomprehensible evil, I will look through your issue again and remember that we as a nation must do everything possible to avenge all those lost lives. Your cover photo, with the firemen raising the flag in the rubble, has to be the photo that says what we are about in this great country.
Cheryl Black
Aiken, S.C.

I am an American citizen, born and raised here. I am also Muslim. Although I am not of Arab origin (my parents are from India), I am at times mistaken for an Arab. That is because I wear the hajib (head scarf). This identifies me as a Muslim. I was extremely saddened by the events that occurred at the World Trade Center. But I was also afraid, and I had every right to be afraid. In the days after the tragic events, the Arab and Muslim communities have been the target of a number of hate crimes. I myself am afraid to go out in public for fear of becoming a victim of a hate crime. It is important for the American people to know that the Muslims do not applaud these terrorist acts of violence. Islam, probably the most misunderstood religion in America, is a religion of peace. Nowhere does our religion say that it's OK to kill innocent civilians. This act is condemned by Islam! Whoever carried out this atrocious act had to be insane and must be punished. It is important for the schools to educate the children and for the TV newscasters, radio broadcasters, newspapers and magazines to stress the importance of unity in America and not to engender any anger toward the Muslims and Arabs living in the United States. We have to stick together in order to fight back. We must not terrorize our own people.
Sarwath Khan
Skokie, Ill.

I think it is very appropriate to remind everyone what John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Address: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
David A. Taylor
Tallahassee, Fla.

Like most Americans, I wish to see the perpetrators of this act brought to justice. Yet I am a patriot for peace, and I wish to see justice, not revenge. I am deeply alarmed by the suggestion that America will go to war against a nameless enemy. I can envision only more wanton destruction of innocent human lives as the consequence of such a policy. I believe that America has neither the moral authority nor the legal justification to attack independent countries that are said to harbor our enemies. And I do not feel that a military strike is the best means through which to handle such disputes. Violence will only beget more violence. Enough blood has been shed.
Henry Schwarz
Director, Program on Justice and Peace
Georgetown University
Washington, D.C.

I can think of nothing more un-American than Jerry Falwell's spouting his venomous "religious" rhetoric on how the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are God's revenge for sin. If Falwell can't use his faith to offer words of unity and comfort at a time of grave crisis, then he is not a true American, not a role model or a Christian leader. I am a devoted Christian, and my faith teaches love, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. Now I know how ashamed Muslims must feel about being associated with Osama bin Laden.
Richard Burdett
Daytona Beach, Fla.

I am writing to make a request that could save many lives in the upcoming days. Following the horrific attacks in New York and the Washington, D.C., area, it now seems probable that terrorists from the Middle East may be responsible for these actions. My concern is that Sikhs, who look similar to Muslims because of their beards and turbans but have no relation to them at all, might inadvertently become targets of hate crimes. Some Sikh taxi drivers in New York are already being unfairly targeted. It is unfair to target Sikhs, or for that matter Muslims, who live peacefully in this country. They are in no way related to the criminals who committed these horrendous acts. They must not be made into scapegoats. Sikhs actually come from India, and their philosophy of peace is completely opposed to that of fundamentalist Muslim radicals.
Kultej Singh Sawhney
Irvine, Calif.

Sensationalism must be tempered by discretion, of which it appears NEWSWEEK had a lapse. To me, the photo of the person falling "from high" in your Sept. 24 special report was inappropriate. He or she was someone's child, and perhaps someone's spouse and parent. And although whoever it is may always be an unidentified victim of the tragedy in a fatal fall with the burning of the North Tower in the background, he or she deserves privacy and our respect. Many of your other photos captured the American spirit, the nation's renewed unity and confidence in God. I'd like to relish the hopes those images evoke, but unfortunately I am pained by the vivid picture of this solitary person's agony. Including this photo in your issue did nothing to assist in the healing of our nation.
Carin Larson
Arlington, Va.

As we watch footage of the Taliban in Afghanistan, let us be grateful that the United States Constitution's First Amendment prevents any one religion from gaining ascendancy over all others. No matter which group is in the majority--whether Christian or Muslim, Jewish or Hindu--its adherents cannot substitute their theology for the law of the land. That wall is still standing, and may no terrorist attack bring it down.
Kim D. Gainer
Radford, Va.

If the Bush administration has learned one thing from the terrible events of Sept. 11, it should be that the president's unilateralism in foreign policy and attempt to build a national defense around a missile shield is a course to be quickly abandoned. Global cooperation with alliances that mutually benefit all nations and their concerns, and building a strong defense to fight terrorists, are the course we must undertake now. I hope the president has the wisdom to adjust and the gravitas to hunker down and set the course. No more vacations for him, that's for sure.
Juan Matute
Peachtree City, Ga.

One set of heroes in this tragedy has not been praised enough: the rescue dogs that are out there, climbing in the rubble, getting broken legs, cuts and heat exhaustion, and inhaling smoke. They, with their masters, never stop. Let us acknowledge and applaud them.
Judy Littleton
Houston, Texas

Corrections In "Grits, Guts and Rudy Giuliani" (Special Report, Sept. 24), we described the murder rate in New York as "surging." In fact, homicides, which rose slightly in 2000, are down 11 percent in 2001 and 68 percent since Giuliani became mayor. In "Ground Zero," we reported that two Port Authority police officers fell more than 80 floors and survived in the World Trade Center collapse. The Port Authority now believes that the officers reached the ground floor by foot before the towers fell. In "Love and Loss," we misspelled the surname of David Retik, who was a partner in a venture-capital firm. NEWSWEEK very much regrets these errors.

Most relief organizations, while deeply appreciative of the donations of goods and services that have poured in, say that financial support is now what is needed most. You can maximize the impact of your contribution by checking to see whether your company matches employee donations. Be wary of organizations that are interested only in obtaining your credit-card number. The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance offers tips on spotting scams at give.org, and the New York BBB lists vetted organizations at newyork.bbb.org. Here is a selection of groups that are helping victims, their families and areas affected by the attacks.

American Liberty Partnership: Six Internet companies have joined to create a central donation center at libertyunites.org for charities that include the American Red Cross, United Way's September 11th Fund, New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and America's Second Harvest. These organizations also maintain their own Web sites and hot lines.

Mercy Corps: Supports local agencies that provide trauma counseling, especially for children, as well as food supplies and scholarships. Donate online at mercycorps.org, call 800-852-2100 or mail checks to Mercy Corps, Dept. W, U.S. Emergency Fund, P.O. Box 2669, Portland, OR 97208.

Twin Towers Job Link: Businesses can help by posting job openings. Visit twintowersjobs.org or call 718-630-2457.

World Trade Center School Relief Fund: Set up by the New York Board of Education, this fund helps with counseling, training and relocation costs for local teachers, schoolchildren and their parents. Call 800-459-5545 or send checks to The Fund for Public Schools-WTC School Relief Fund, 110 Livingston Street, Room 826, Brooklyn, NY 11201.