Give September 11th heroes the special memorial they deserve
Sunday, January 24th 2010, 12:10 PM
Anderson/News
Fallen firefighter Jonathan Ielpi's son, Andrew, 10, salutes at memorial service for his father at St. Aloysius Church.
There is a very good reason the 9/11 Memorial now under construction has had feint praise or no praise at all from many 9/11 families: Because there are so few distinctions made among those murdered.
Those behind the memorial apparently believe that there is an absolute equality in death.
This is a sentiment that most Americans reject. Most of us believe that God has ennobled us by giving us the opportunity to be different in our ability to contribute in our work and in our charity — in the way we try to make our world a better place. Our differences are part of the human condition.
If everyone is equal in death, we would not have structures like the Washington Monument or the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.
In my mind, these Presidents were great men, and their heads should be cut into mountainsides, but they are no more important in our democracy than Firefighter Jonathan Ielpi, to consider just one of the 403 first responders who died in the line of duty on 9/11. Jonathan did not have the opportunity to become President, but what our Presidents did and will do is no more important than what Jonathan did — which was to give his life for others.
All men are created equal, but we are also endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, and those rights enable us to become, because of the choices we make, firefighters, police officers, nurses, EMTs, doctors, judges, priests, privates and generals.
The current design of the 9/11 Memorial ignores this precious reality. It therefore runs contrary to the most deeply held values of many Americans.
There is still time to fix this — if we act soon.
Under current plans, the names of those killed will be displayed randomly on the walls that rim the eight sides of the memorial. There is just one exception to this rule: first responders, whose names will be attached to their units.
There will be no rank given for any victim, and no age.
But I cannot let go of the fact that Jonathan Ielpi was just 29 years old, the young father of two now fatherless boys. To me this impacts even further the great harm that was done to us by Islamic mujahids in their murderous jihad.
Nor should I let this go. I want to see how young others were in their age as well. I want to see their rank. With Jonathan were 18 other men from Squad 288 who were taken. Who was their officer? Where are all the captains and the chiefs? It is such a difficult challenge to become a captain or a chief in the Fire Department.
Yet their ranks are not given on the memorial wall.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/01/24/2010-01-24_give_911s_heroes_the_memorial_they_deserve.html#ixzz0dkPea41d
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