While reading Christie Pesavento's column, "Politicizing 9/11" (Sept. 15), I was struck by the irony of her calling Barack Obama's Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act an attempt to politicize 9/11, when she is actually doing quite a bit of politicizing herself, turning a way to remember 9/11 and encourage people to give back to this country a little bit into a left-wing indoctrination attempt. In regard to her assertion that the new act will not prevent any terrorist attacks, I think the same argument can be made about Patriot Day. I, too, have trouble imagining terrorists backing down from a planned attack just because Americans are being patriotic in September.
Another issue I have is the idea that Obama is turning 9/11 into a day of service, when in reality it actually was a day of service. How many firefighters, police officers and citizens rushed to the aid of those in need on that day, sacrificing their own lives so that others would have a chance to live? Maybe I am just na've, but I think that dying to save someone else is a form of service.
Another issue Pesavento brings up is the issue of 9/11 fading from people's minds. She mentions a man who lost his daughter that day and who, understandably, will hold that day clearly in his mind forever. Most of the American public, however, will indeed think about it less as the years go by. Just consider the Titanic or Pearl Harbor. Those events were incredibly poignant when they happened, but because of reasons other than democratic presidents, the passage of time has swept them from the forefront of our consciousness.
The column that Pesavento wrote is little more than a partisan attack against a president with whom she disagrees on every issue. Remembering the horrible tragedy and working to make America a better place with charity work that benefits others are not mutually exclusive activities. Hopefully, Ms. Pesavento decides to participate in Patriot Day by serving those less fortunate, instead of pettily dividing the country with her partisan rhetoric.
Eric Routen
junior
Keenan Hall
Sept. 15
