September 11,2011

Participants in the library’s Talk Lab English Club commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America by sharing their memories of the day and their feelings about such violence on Sunday, Sept. 11, in the library’s Foreign Language Department.
On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four jetliners. Two of the planes crashed into and destroyed the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City, another slammed into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania when passengers attempted to take control of the plane to stop the terrorists.
The events killed 2,977 innocent people, in addition to the terrorists, and changed the lives of millions of men, women and children around the world. Victims in America included more than 80 people born in other countries, including 55-year-old Iouri Mouchinski from Ukraine, who had gone to the World Trade Center to pick up a check.

Seated around a table display of a Ukrainian and American flag and a memorial candle, the 23 participants explored several questions that had no easy answers. For example:
~ Is it OK for a government to take away some citizen rights in order to protect the populace against terrorism?
~ Do Ukrainians worry about terrorism?
~ Can someone be a terrorist without killing people?
~ Is terrorism ever justified?
~ Are any of the following too much of a government invasion of privacy? 1) widespread wiretapping; 2 ) intercepting e-mails; 3) body scans at airports; 4) making people take off shoes at airports.
Club members also considered how life has changed for Americans as well as around the world. In many places, people’s lives have been inconvenienced by stricter security measures and greater suspicions toward foreigners.

However, many people, especially in America, have formed organizations that promote intercultural and interfaith discussions and activities to build bridges among people of diverse backgrounds. Club members read an article from The New York Times about such a group in Syracuse, New York, where several Muslim and non-Muslim women (Christians, Jews and a Buddhist) meet regularly to talk about their perceived differences.
Several American visitors participated in the library discussion on Sept. 11. Such involvement was fitting because the American government proclaimed 9-11 as The September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance, a day for reaching out to others as a way to honor victims of the terrorist attacks. In America, activities included food drives for the poor, volunteers helping to repair the homes of elderly and disabled citizens, neighborhood cleanups, and honoring military veterans, military personnel, police, firefighters and emergency medical workers. More photos.