We went through the 10th anniversary of 9/11 this last weekend. It was a period of mourning, reflection and remembrance for all Americans. It was very clear that our wounds, as a nation, are still sore and bleeding. The hurt that these barbaric attacks caused will not disappear that easily. I was trying (as I was praying constantly for the immediate victims of 9/11) my very best to feel the pain of the children on that Sept. 11 day 10 years ago in N.J., N.Y., Conn., Md. and Va., waiting for a mother and father who will never come home. Men and women trying to find out about their spouses, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters were in panic and shock as the horrific news reached them. One can only imagine the horror and devastation in the hearts and minds of those people on that day and since then.
I think the 10th anniversary events all went well in general. Most of them gave encouraging and strong signals of healing and recovery from our post-9/11 trauma. Almost all who spoke invited us to unite, reflect and be resilient. Many were very honest and constructive in their reflection of our nation’s response to 9/11. I found the general atmosphere of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 events a breath of fresh air, a break from our increasingly bitter and divided state of our nation. I cannot help but ask myself and others: Can we sustain this atmosphere of healing and reconciliation? Or is this a temporary break before we go back to our old habits of stereotyping and polarization? I really hope that it will not be the latter.
In the spirit of sustaining and even increasing the healing and unifying energy of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and in terms of where we go from here, the day after the 9/11 anniversary, I joined a group of American religious and civic leaders and penned the following appeal to fellow Americans: “On this 12th day of Sept. 2011, we call on religious and secular people alike to join together to rededicate ourselves to a vision of peace and justice for our country and for the world.
“On Sept. 11, 2001, the United States of America suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. Ten years later, our nation still grieves the losses we suffered on that dark day. The heinous actions of the terrorists and their supporters cannot be justified or tolerated. We must be resolute in the face of such malicious crimes, using the appropriate legal measures to hold the guilty accountable and to prevent future attacks.
“However, we cannot allow the actions of violent extremists to breed more prejudice in our society. Discrimination against Muslims and other religious and ethnic minorities—like other forms of bigotry—are unacceptable and tear at the fabric of our nation. We lament the fact that such behavior continues to surface in our country a decade after 9/11.
“As representatives of America’s diverse religious traditions, we are committed to working together to achieve the enduring vision of ‘a more perfect union.’
“To fulfill this dream, we must invest in relationships with people who are different than we are, humbly sharing our wisdom and personal stories, listening to the insights and questions of others and offering respectful critique when necessary. We do not seek uniformity, but dignity for all people.
“In making this commitment, we are well aware of the fact that religion has too often been used to oppress, to degrade and to injure—9/11 being but one painful example. We also know that religion can be a powerful force for healing and transformation in the world. It is incumbent upon us to promote visions of our respective traditions that honor difference and call for the well-being of all existence.
“In this spirit, we also recommit ourselves to work together across religious and secular lines to address other issues of injustice in our country and throughout the world. Even though we hold different religious beliefs, we share in the conviction that we must all participate actively in caring for the needy and mending the wounds of our shared planet.
“Finally, we call on the leaders of our country to join us in working to strengthen bonds among diverse groups of people at home and abroad, using our nation’s vast resources to help reduce violence and corruption and to promote peace and prosperity for all. We urge our elected officials to exercise our political, economic and military power with wisdom and care, remembering the inestimable value of every single human life.
“Today, on this 12th day of Sept. 2011, we look to the future and pledge to fulfill the promise of this great nation, ever striving for a more perfect union.”
Abdullah Antepli is the Muslim Chaplain and an adjunct faculty of Islamic Studies. His column runs every other Tuesday.
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