Contact: Max Smith
212-558-5371
msmith@nul.or

THE WORLD TRADE CENTER CRISIS AND BLACK AMERICA:
WHAT IT MEANS
September 26, 2001–While American society wrestles, still, with the question of who is an American–that is, who is entitled to equal opportunity in this society–we have discovered again that the practitioners of Terror know who is an American.

Like Timothy McVeigh, the American born terrorist, they deliberately struck not just at the "symbols" of the American nation. They attacked the World Trade Center–which stood less than a mile from the National Urban League’s headquarters –and the Pentagon at the beginning of the workday, when both places would be filled with the people of America: people of African, Hispanic, Asian, Arabic, Native American, and European descent. Those who died and were injured there were members of our families, our friends, our neighbors

Thus, the practitioners of Terror have shown once again that while they often condemn America for its history of discrimination against Americans of color, they do not hesitate to target Americans of color for murder, too.

They understand that we are all equally American, whether our ancestors arrived on the Mayflower or the slave ships, whether they fled pogroms in Europe or tyranny and poverty in South America, Africa, or the Middle East, whether the governments of our ancestors’ country of origin were democratic or authoritarian, whether our families came three centuries ago or yesterday.

As citizens who have often been cut off from equality of opportunity, and who the terrorists have often claimed share a similar history of victimization, the question some now ask is ‘What is black America’s role in this crisis?’

Do we join forces with our nation in their struggle against the Terrorists and the nation or nations that have brought this terror to our doorstep, do we protest military action, or do we stand apart from the rest of America and watch the events unfold?

Our role, as is the role of all Americans, is to stand firmly with our friends and families; to offer comfort and support in a time of crisis. It is to listen to others who have stories to tell and need someone to hear them. It is to share our own stories of where we were on that day and how the tragedy has affected us. And to be prepared for the post-traumatic stress that will affect many among us in the months ahead.

Our mission is to volunteer where, when and how it is needed, whether by donating our time, our money, or food and clothing. Volunteer organizations such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the United Way, among others, expect their efforts to be ongoing for months to come. [Double check this info.] Their numbers can be obtained by a simple call to information.

Black America’s mission is to pay heed to the actions of our government and to do what our individual conscience tells us is right, whether it be supporting our government’s military action, or asking our senators to think more deeply before launching a full scale war.

Our challenge is to soldier on, living life as best and fully as we can, grateful for the chance we survivors have been given to maximize our potential and our abilities. It is to realize the dream of our forefathers to create a land free of racial, ethnic, religious and gender bias. A world where every individual will have equal opportunity to quality education, decent housing, and affordable health care. It is to create a world free of terrorism of any kind, whether it be religious or political in orientation.

More immediately black Americans, like all our fellow Americans, must get back to the business of living. We must return to our jobs, take our children to school, go out to restaurants and the movies, do what we can to support the economy. We must restore order and routine and demonstrate to those who would rob us of that which is most precious to all Americans — our way of life - that we have not succumbed to fear. This is the ultimate triumph over terrorism.

Though much is uncertain at present, one thing remains sure: the Urban League’s mission to enable African Americans achieve economic self-reliance, parity, and power and civil rights, continues to be as urgent as ever.

Many African Americans did not have quality housing, health care or education the day before the attack and several weeks later they remain in the same precarious situation.

In the immediacy of the crisis our attentions will be riveted to the national drama still as yet unfolding. It will be diverted from more mundane issues such as the minimum wage bill, the battle against privatizing social security, transforming our nation’s schools, and overhauling our country’s electoral system. Yet these issues still demand our attention because millions of black American lives continue to be impacted.

The day before the crisis, 63% of black fourth graders were reading below grade level and in the days subsequent to the crisis that number remains the same. TK# --- percent of young black men remain unemployed, --% percent are incarcerated. --- of African American families have no health care, and --% are in danger of losing social security benefits if that insurance system is privatized. So the Urban League’s mission remains vital.

In the first days after the attack, some commentators pushed the morally repugnant notion that the need for increased security justifies racial profiling, whether based on suspicion of terrorism or a suspicion of some other criminal intent.

Yes, the need for increased security justifies a heightened state of watchfulness of everyone in the public sphere. But there is no excuse for singling some Americans out for no reason other than the color of their skin or their ethnic background or the way they dress. Such a policy and practice would make a mockery of "national unity."

The League has worked tirelessly since 19?? to eradicate racial profiling and in the wake of the crisis and rising anti-Arab sentiment, we will work with others to ensure that there is no anti-Arab backlash and that our fellow Arab-Americans aren’t made the scapegoats because of the actions of a few individuals.

[Lee, Delete: And of course, as our nation struggles to fine tune safety precautions the League will work to ensure that precious civil liberties that define the American way of life, are not lost.]

America and the world turned a corner on September 11^th. It isn’t entirely clear where the path will lead from here. The level of terrorism visited on our country that day presents unprecedented challenges for this nation’s military, security and intelligence agencies. More horrific and devastating than Pearl Harbor, the attack struck home and will impact how we will live for years and possibly, generations to come.

By living the best lives that we can, we pay tribute to the lives of those who were lost on that tragic day. We pay homage to their memories by refusing to be cowed by terror or to live our lives in paranoia. By extending a hand to our Americans of all races, religions, political beliefs and sexual orientation we live the visionary rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence, about the self evident truths of human existence, indeed about the ideal of what it is to be an American.

The Urban League extends our condolences to the families of those who were lost, and our thanks to all those involved in the rescue and recovery efforts: police and firemen, corrections officers, companies, politicians and lay volunteers. We recommit ourselves to our mission and pledge to work jointly with all other Americans for a better nation, and indeed a better world.