60th commemoration of the firebombing of their city in World War II.
Messages from all over the world were read on that occasion, including the
message below from Peaceful Tomorrows.)
The members of September 11th
Families for Peaceful Tomorrows stand in solidarity with the people of
Dresden as you commemorate the terrible losses you experienced 60 years ago.
We also acknowledge the civilian deaths which occurred in Guernica eight
years earlier.
As you gather at this time, we are also gathered for a
commemoration of our own. It was three years ago, this weekend, that family
members of September 11th victims created our organization, which sought to
turn our grief into action for peace.
At that time, we recognized
that powerful military forces were being unleashed against the world as a
response to 9/11. We also knew that these forces, once set in motion, would
lead to specific consequences–that countless innocent civilians would be
killed or injured, refugees would be created, and generations of new children
would carry new wounds. We believed that responding to the violence that took
the lives of our loved ones would only create more violence.
Today, we
see that our worst fears have been realized, and that the world is a more
dangerous place because of the choices made since 9/11. As in Dresden, and as
in Guernica, it is ordinary people who are doing most of the suffering and
dying. It is ordinary people, and their children and grandchildren, who will
continue to pay the price for the direction we have chosen.
Like you,
the members of Peaceful Tomorrows have first-hand knowledge of the realities
of terrorism and war. We seek to bring new approaches, new policies, and new
solutions to the very old problems of violence among nations and among
people.
We believe that it is individuals who possess the greatest power
to effect such change. This power is greater than armies and more powerful
than bombs. It knows no national boundaries, and finds common cause among all
those who seek peace, communication and reconciliation with their fellow
human beings.
Today, the members of September 11th Families are inspired
by your courageous witness. It is easy for new generations to forget the
lessons of history. It is our duty to remind them. We join you in this
essential task.
With best wishes,
September 11th Families for
Peaceful Tomorrows
Gathered this weekend in Washington, DC, USA
February
12, 2005
