This article appears in the September 24, 2021 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.
SCHILLER INSTITUTE 9/11 MEMORIAL
U.S. and Russian Officials
Proclaim Unity Against Terrorism
[Print version of this article]
Sept. 16—On Sunday, September 12, 2021, the Schiller Institute organized a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony in Bayonne, New Jersey, with the support of the Russian Embassy in the United States and the Consulate General of Russia in New York. It was held at 10:00 am, under a bright summer sun, at the giant monument and sculpture titled, “To the Struggle Against World Terrorism,” which had been donated to the American people by Russia. Russia did so in solidarity, and to honor the souls of the dead, killed in the terror attacks on the U.S. in 1993 and on September 11, 2001, and to affirm a profound unity between the Russian and the American people.
The sculpture is located in Harbor View Park, on the dockside at the tip of the peninsula in northeast Bayonne, overlooking the waters at the entrance to New York Harbor. It is within direct sight of the location in Manhattan of the Twin Towers. At the time of the attacks on the Twin Towers, Bayonne’s police, fire, security, and other forces, including citizen volunteers, rushed into action to rescue people by boat, including transporting many from Manhattan to safety across the bay.
The sculpture rises 100 feet in height and is clad in bronze. Suspended within the sculpture is a huge Tear of Sorrow, 40 feet long, weighing 40 tons, all of steel. It can be seen by far-distant ships as they begin their approach to New York Harbor.
The ceremony began with welcoming remarks by Michael Pelliccio, of the Bayonne Fire Department, who performed the role of Master of Ceremonies:
I’d like to welcome everyone here to the ceremony to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Today, we remember all of those lost that day, and all of those lost to terrorism around the world, and once again, we remember and embrace our two nations, the United States and Russia in their commitment and solidarity and friendship in the struggle against world terrorism.
The Memorial ceremony was addressed by many leading American and Russian officials, by representatives of the 9/11 families, of Schiller Institute President Helga Zepp-LaRouche, and by leaders of Police and Fire Departments. The renowned New York City Police Dept. Ceremonial Unit Color Guard was joined by the City of Bayonne Police and Fire Departments’ Color Guards to open the ceremony with the Presentation of the Colors.
The extraordinary music focused the mind during this solemn occasion, provided by both the Schiller Institute NYC Chorus and by two soloists. The program was opened by the singing of the U.S. national anthem, followed by, in Russian, the national anthem of the Russian Federation. During the proceedings, bass Kevin Maynor sang the spiritual, “On My Journey Now: Mt. Zion,” made well known by the great American singer and political activist Paul Robeson; and “The Song of the Volga Boatmen,” the traditional Russian song of struggle and determination. Police officer Kevin Shaw, a member of the New York City Police Dept. Ceremonial Unit Color Guard, sang “God Bless America,” the now-traditional song by Irving Berlin.
The powerful impact of this unfolding public tribute on the heart—with large American and Russian flags in parade side by side—can be seen in the opening description in the press coverage on Sept. 13th, in one of Russia’s largest daily newspapers, Komsomolskaya Pravda:
To see the Russian and American flags flying together has been an almost impossible task in recent years. Nevertheless, Moscow and Washington have common interests, common values, and common memory. Not only in our countries, but throughout the civilized world, they remember the mournful date—the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Schiller Institute President Helga Zepp-LaRouche, in her message to the Memorial, made a sharp point of both the urgent humanitarian necessity for the U.S. and Russia to join together now with other nations to help Afghanistan to re-build on an emergency basis—after 40 devastating years of war—and a sudden, new opportunity for the U.S. and Russia, as great sovereign states, to reclaim their common purpose:
Let us therefore use the coincidence of the end of 20 years of war and the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of 9/11 for the solemn commitment to regard terrorism, hunger, and underdevelopment as the enemies of mankind, and not each other. Let us replace the era of geopolitics with an era of achieving the common aims of mankind. It is not an idle hope that the human species, as the only one that has proven through its existence that creativity is that quality which can transcend all seeming limitations, will soon leave conflict, aggression, and war behind it, and that we become truly human. Let us be inspired by the lofty ideal of man as it is expressed in the great art of the composers, poets, painters, architects, and sculptors, such as the creator of this Teardrop Memorial, around which we gather today.
‘There Can Be No Justice without Truth—the Whole Truth’
Terry Strada, chairwoman of 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism, and Kirk Weibe, former Senior Analyst at the National Security Agency and whistleblower, addressed the ongoing battle to unveil the long-suppressed truth of the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, of the United Kingdom, and of a treasonous apparatus within the U.S. intelligence agencies in planning and financing the 9/11 attacks. On the evening of September 11, the first release of declassified documents was made by the Biden Administration, after President Biden, under pressure from the 9/11 families to do so, announced on September 3, that he will expedite this over the next six months.
Strada has led the battle for full disclosure and accountability for the last two decades. Her husband Tom was killed in the Twin Towers atrocity. She addressed the Memorial Ceremony by telephone, stating:
The question I keep asking myself is “How safe are we since the September 11th attack?” In some ways we are safer … but we need to do more. And where we have failed has been to ever really, fully disclose the role that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia played in murdering our loved ones … and also propelling us into wars that went on for decades.
We are getting closer to that truth. Today, even, new news has come out that there is new declassification of documents that show a clear connection to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the terrorist attacks of September 11th. This work is so important. This nation needs to do a better job…. So, while we stand here, remembering, and paying honor—and I’m so grateful that you’re all there today doing that—keep in mind there is more work to do, and we will prevail.
Kirk Wiebe, a leader in the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) with the highest-ranking expertise in international counter-intelligence, demanded that the government-suppressed truth concerning the origins of the 9/11 attack be forced to light:
I am here—like you—to remember the victims of 9/11 and their families and to thank our Russian friends for such a wonderful monument to their memory. I remember that terrible day like it was yesterday. Indeed, we all remember what we were doing when the realization set in that we were under attack and the agony of knowing that thousands were hurt or were dying in the process.
I am also here to recognize the efforts of the 9/11 families to reveal the truth—the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the events surrounding that tragic day. Let me suggest that you do NOT trust the 9/11 Commission Report as being complete. It is not. Certain information was given to that Commission that was purposefully omitted. There can be no justice without truth—the whole truth.
A moment of great emotion was reached when Wiebe directly addressed—in fluent Russian—the Russians present from the Russian Consulate and Mission to the UN, saying: “Dorogie Russkiye druz’ya….” (“Dear Russian friends....”) Out of respect and joyous surprise, the Russian diplomats all quickly rose from their seats in unison. Standing, listening intently, they listened as Wiebe said (translation):
Dear Russian Friends,
I would like to say the following: We are all gathered here in an atmosphere of brotherhood, friendship, and—yes—love. We Americans sincerely thank you for such a wonderful, beautiful, and inspirational monument—a memorial to all those who died or were wounded on that tragic day 20 years ago. Know that we constantly stand with you as fellow journeymen in the fight for truth and in the fight against terrorism. Thank you for your attention.
The sincere and fervent solidarity of mission—built over decades and shared between the American and Russian officials present—gripped all of the assembled participants. That solidarity of mission stood brightly in stark contrast to the contrived, anti-Russian rhetoric spewed in recent years from the U.S. political parties and from corrupt U.S. intelligence agency circles, which have been stained and stamped with the British imperial outlook.
President Putin’s Pledge: ‘So Shall We Defeat Terrorism Together’
The coming together of American patriots and Russian government officials, on this past weekend’s 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, to re-affirm their bonds in the struggle against world terrorism, has its roots early, within the months immediately after the 2001 attack. The famous Russian sculptor, Zurab Tsereteli, and the Russian government made an offer in 2002 to then-Mayor of Bayonne, Joe Doria, “to show sympathy with the United States and its citizens, and to register a human response to the inhuman acts of terror,” as Mayor Doria recalled in a 2015 interview. The offer was to construct a great monument designed, paid for, and built by Russian citizens, in sympathy with and support of the Americans who had lost loved ones in the terror attack. Construction of the “Tear of Sorrow” monument began in 2005.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia flew to Bayonne to join in the laying of the cornerstone of the monument. In his very personal remarks—with Bayonne Mayor Doria at his side—President Putin said, in part:
We are here today to lay the cornerstone of a memorial dedicated to the victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. At that time four years ago, the criminals thought they would plunge America and all civilized humanity into chaos. They were wrong. On the contrary, we became more united than ever, and we created an actively functioning anti-terrorist coalition. I fully agree with you, Mr. Mayor—just as we vanquished fascism, so shall we defeat terrorism together.
Further, President Putin stated,
I felt bound to give my support to the initiative proposed by Russian and American citizens to build a monument here to the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York. This is not just because Russia, perhaps more than any other country, sympathizes with you and understands you, but also because this monument will always be a testimony to our unity in the struggle against common threats.
The broadest strategic implications of Russian and American government officials coming together for “an era of achieving the common aims of mankind”—as Helga Zepp-LaRouche described it in her remarks—were identified by former Mayor Doria. Reflecting on the process of the erecting of the Tear of Sorrow monument, the former mayor and former Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly said, in a 2016 interview:
In fact, it is my belief today that such an alliance would be the first step to engaging the whole world in building bridges, not burning them; in cherishing our children, not killing them; in honoring our past alliance against evil, not dishonoring that past alliance by forgetting it. For if we did so, we might give new life to the darkness that 70 million lives were sacrificed to crush fascism only 70 years ago.
Ambassador Anatoly Antonov:
Reject ‘Double Standards’
The top official of the Russian Federation in the United States, His Excellency Ambassador Anatoly Antonov, sent a renewed personal message of condolence to the 9/11 family members. This was posted on the Russian Embassy website and was widely publicized in the news media in Russia. Yet, given the continuing danger of military conflict today between the U.S. and Russia—created by ongoing NATO deployments against Russia—his message also contained a stern warning:
The 9/11 tragedy has shown that terrorism is a common global threat. Any attempts to create isolated “islands of security” in the modern inter-connected world are ephemeral and doomed to failure. The victory over terrorists can be achieved only through joint efforts of the entire international community. There is no place for carelessness and double standards in this regard. It is unacceptable to divide terrorists into the good and the bad.
Consul General Sergey K. Ovsyannikov, of the Russian Consulate in New York, thanked The Schiller Institute for convening the Memorial Ceremony, saying,
It’s no secret that currently the Russian-American relations are far from being perfect. This, however, does not mean that we don’t share common interests, common values, and common memory. This Memorial has come to personify our unity and compassion.
He referred to the fact that The Schiller Institute, each year at Christmas time, holds a Memorial event with Russian and American music, at the Tear of Sorrow monument, to honor the members of the great Russian chorus, The Alexandrov Ensemble, who all perished in a plane crash in 2016:
Two decades ago, the ensemble was among the first to react to the tragedy of 9/11. Such examples of solidarity bring our peoples close together. Also, in response to global challenges.
‘God Bless the Russian Federation, God Bless the United States of America’
Representing the City of Bayonne were Mayor James M. Davis; President of the Municipal Council, Sharon Nadrowski; and Chief of the Fire Department Keith Weaver. Mayor Davis, who was a police officer in Bayonne at the time of the 9/11 attack, talked about Bayonne’s response:
While everyone was watching this unfold on TV on September 11, we, here in Bayonne, were living it. Those who were escaping, were coming here to Bayonne. Our hospital was treating the injured. Our police officers, firefighters, me—one of our police officers here in Bayonne in 2001—were working with the NYPD and other agencies during the next couple months.
But, what it comes down to is that the world came together as One, because of an act of terror; because of an act that murdered innocent people, people who went to work that morning to provide for their families. I can’t thank Mr. Tsereteli enough for what he has given to the City.
Fire Chief Weaver echoed the Consul General in thanking the Schiller Institute for organizing together with the Fire Department, every Christmas at the Tear of Sorrow monument, a memorial to the Alexandrov Ensemble. Many who have attended will remember, at the first memorial in 2016, Peter Iliichev, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Mission to the UN, speaking with tremendous emotion of the irreplaceable importance of art and of music in honoring the dead, “There are some ideas, some emotions which only music can express.”
Fire Chief Weaver spoke of Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli as a caring friend of the American people:
Bayonne will never forget, because of a caring friend from across the world in Russia who reached out and put his hand on our shoulder and said, ‘I’m going to help.’ Mr. Tsereteli has done so much with this gift. He reminds those of us, who were here on February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001 of the struggle against world terrorism. And through this monument he teaches those who weren’t here that history. Most of all, he reminds us that although we are divided by oceans and flags, we are One in brotherhood.
It is the hope of mankind that the struggle against world terrorism will end one day and all people in this world will live in peace. Thank you all. God bless the Russian Federation, and God bless the United States of America.
Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, in his very personal message to the Memorial Ceremony, described how he came to initiate his idea of a gift to the American people, and what he hoped to inspire in all those who came into its presence:
The Tear of Sorrow monument is a sculptural image of the memory of the dead, a tear that mourns their souls. In it we see our reflection and in this there is a warning to all those who sow evil. Today, peace and love are the most valuable things. May they live in our hearts as an eternal, eternal fire.
Vechnaya Pamyat, Eternal Memory
The Memorial Ceremony proceeded to its conclusion as Master of Ceremonies Michael Pelliccio of the Bayonne Fire Department called upon Municipal Council President Sharon Nadrowski and Fire Chief Weaver to lay the wreath at the base of the Tear of Sorrow monument. This was followed by Consul General Ovsyannikov placing a large bouquet of roses beside the wreath. The Schiller Institute NYC Chorus was joined by Kevin Maynor in the singing (in Russian) of the prayer, ‘Vechnaya Pamyat’ (‘Eternal Memory’).
Father John Fencik of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA then offered the Prayer of Commendation, closing with the chant:
In blessed repose, grant You total rest, O Lord
To the souls of your faithful departed servants,
And make eternal their memory.
Eternal memory. Eternal memory.
Blessed repose. Eternal memory.
May He bless you, Almighty God,
Descend upon you, and remain with you
For all times.
Amen.
As the Color and Honor Guards again moved to the front of the monument, with the American and Russian Federation flags included in parade, New York City police officer Kevin Shaw sang “God Bless America.” The Colors were then retired, members of the public were invited to lay white carnations beside the wreath, and the Memorial Ceremony was brought to a close.
—richardblack1776@gmail.com
