Honorable
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
City Hall
New York, New York 10007
Honorable
Mayor:
Your city
is our city. Your buildings were our buildings. Americans must
realize that your trucks are not carrying just rubble. The
remains of the World Trade Center buildings are now
artifacts. To prevent them from becoming merely scrap or,
at worst, a trophy to terrorism, I have a plan to place a
section of steel girder from the World Trade Center in every
public and private secondary school in the United States by the
end of this school year.
I am an
Advanced Placement U.S. history teacher. I am also the
advisor to the Student Council of Oak Ridge High School.
In Oak Ridge we have a tradition of looking out for national
interests. In light of that tradition, teaching history
and student government here means that I am not just relaying
information; I am trying to shape and to inspire tomorrow’s
national leaders. My students are young, but I want to
show them what collective action can accomplish to both
memorialize your city’s loss and to steel America both now and
in the future to remain ever prayerful and vigilant in the
advance of freedom and the destruction of evil.
Some may
call this morbid. It is in keeping, however, with the
sensibilities of both Western Civilization and many of the other
traditions represented in your city and across this
nation. I have this idea and many eager, talented young
people to help, but I cannot accomplish it without your
support. Teenagers see events on television and they seem
so far away, even unreal. Teenagers need something
tangible. Will you talk with me about this, please?
Your task
is daunting. The details in your care are myriad. I
know you are now consumed with the sacred task of retrieving the
dead. I will send this letter periodically, therefore,
until you somehow find the time to consider my idea and
respond. Years ago I read Norman Podhoretz’s article in National
Review magazine about you and your city. I believed
then that you had a special calling to lead, and I believe that
now. God be with you and with all good people who care for
the good of all.
Sincerely,
Kenneth R.
Senter
Instructor
