My LTTE Published in local weekly suburban news

[Sherman A1]

Just had this LTTE published in the NW County Journal in St. Louis, MO responding to a column a couple of weeks ago by a child psychologist regarding discussing and preparing children for the 9/11 anniversary media barrage.




Anniversary creates opportunity to turn helplessness into action

Like Mr. O’Brien, I too, had a child, a daughter, in New York not terribly far from the collapsing towers and the horror. Our day devolved to shifting between CNN and watching the telephone, like that ubiquitous pot waiting to boil, for it to ring after the brief email telling us, “we are evacuating”. So having dealt with this a mere five years ago, we will most likely skip the “instant” replay soon to come.
Mr. O’Brien lists off many things for us to consider when talking with youngsters as we face the barrage of media at this 5 year anniversary of the events of 9/11. I am sure that these will benefit, those faced with talking with children about the events. Yet, his piece opens with a list that may contribute to intensifying the 9/11 experience. A list that leads many Americans to believe that our country is headed in the wrong direction according to polls. Is in not equally important to take this opportunity to transform the helpless feelings of that day into personal action and show leadership to the young of our community. Is it not time for “We The People” to register , be informed and to go to the ultimate poll on November 7th. The cornerstone of this democracy is the ballot box, failing to use it , fails not only all those who have in our past, sacrificed for our ability to do so, but fails to show leadership to our youth.

Kevin Fitzpatrick
Florissant