On September 11, Work for Peace

Over the years on September 11, I have reflected here on the meaning of this sad date in American history. Like so many others, I remember watching the news as a plane slammed into the Twin Towers. The terrorists killed thousands of people going about their lives and unleashed a series of wars that would kill many times the number of the unfortunate souls who died that day.

The parents of murdered hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin talked of “a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East. In a competition of pain, there are no winners.” They called for peace. Mothers and fathers of Palestinian children killed in Israel’s war against Hamas also call out for peace, as do hundreds of thousands of protesters on the streets of Israel. They call out for an end to the fighting so that they can go about their lives, rebuild their communities.

Some persist in believing they can achieve peace or security through continued fighting. They should listen more to the mothers of these dead children, and the children who have had to bury parents and grandparents. A cease fire is within reach. We should do all we can to encourage leaders to make it happen.

And this day, above all, we should remember the cold brutality of terrorism. Often the person who unleashes terror wants more war, wants more killing. Usually, they have an ideology that makes it easier for them to embrace cruelty without feeling any pain themselves. Morally despicable, they wrap themselves in the righteousness of belonging to a cause. We must reject their fatuous arguments and reject their celebration of rape, of murder, of annihilation.

On September 11 we honor those who have died in these attacks by working for peace.