Overseas
Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A654-O181
中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A654-O181
Release
Date: September 11, 2011
发布日：2011年9月11日
Topic:
Every September 11 is a Day of Remembrance and Inspiration for Us to Strike
Back at Terrorism -- Ciping Huang
标题： 9/11的纪念与启迪 -- 黄慈萍
Original
Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)
此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
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IN
COMMEMORATION OF THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF 9/11
Every
September 11 is a Day of Remembrance and Inspiration for Us to Strike Back at
Terrorism
--
Ciping Huang
September
11, 2011
Today
is the first time in a decade that I have been able to stay at home on
September 11. I was either
traveling or away from home during the previous nine September 11's. On 5 of them I was on an airplane. Of course, during each September 11, especially on the 5
times when I was on an airplane, my thoughts would be associated with the 9/11
terrorist attacks.
As a matter of fact, the shadow and the
implications of the 9/11 are cast on us every day since that tragic day 10
years ago.
On
September 12, 2001, Wei Jingsheng and I were scheduled to fly to Switzerland
from Washington DC, USA. On the
morning of September 11, we were in a location only 1km from the US Capitol and
2km away from the Pentagon. A
reporter friend called us and asked us to watch TV. As we watched the World Trade Center north tower burning and
listened to the anchorperson discussing the cause of an airplane hitting the
tower, it was clear to us that it was an intentional act. The most memorable and painful moment
of that morning came as I was making the comment to Mr. Wei: "I hope that
there is not a second plane that will hit the other tower", then the second
airplane came into the view and hit right into the 2nd tower and burst into
flames immediately. I yelled:
"America is under attack!"
The thought of America under attack
started with me in the 1990's, especially after the World Trade Center bombing
in February 1993. To me, this
attack was unavoidable, although it may not have been as vivid and horrifying a
scene as the 9/11 attack in 2001.
As
we were watching live TV, my immediately thought then was that Washington DC
would be under attack as well, especially the US Capitol or the White
House. So when we felt the ground
shaking, followed by a loud boom and shaking windows, I looked at the US
Capitol, and was glad it was still there.
The initial news reporting was that the State Department was hit, but
later it was corrected to be the Pentagon. A half-hour later, we learned that there was a fourth
airplane that crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Even then, I believed that one would be aimed for Washington
DC, capitol of the USA and symbol of the democratic world.
Knowing
the casualties could be in the thousands, I tried to call relatives and friends
in New York City to make sure that they were ok. One of the most tragic scenes was to see people in the
floors on the high part of the two towers trying to escape or just a quick
death - they were standing by the windows but not daring to jump. That sense of hopeless was chilling and
infectious.
As a person who is always preparing for
untimely death and thinking of what I would do, I often wondered what those
unfortunate people's last thoughts were in such a short time span and felt
sympathy for both them and their loved ones.
As
the flights were grounded that day, I checked the airplane company and was told
that there would be no flight until later. So I had to inform the hosts in Europe to delay out events. Wei Jingsheng also asked me to call
some friends, include Congressional member friends to express our sympathy and
support, include Rep. Chris Cox who later was to become the first Chairman of
United States House Committee on Homeland Security, which has authorization and
policy oversight responsibilities over the Department of Homeland Security that
was established after 9/11 attack.
Being in and out of the US Congress so many times in a serious and
rational manner without emotional factor, I was never so moved until later that
day, when I saw people gathered outside of the US Capitol singing songs to
express their bravery, their solidarity, and their love to their people and the
country.
Not just emotionally, but also rationally,
I deeply believe a democratic system must and will ultimately overcome a
minority of terrorism and autocracy exactly because it has the power from the
will of the people.
That
was a chaotic day, but a day full of humanitarian and love. We received many phone calls from
friends or people all over the world who were concerned about us. Meanwhile, I tried to call the American
Red Cross in case of a need for blood donations. However, I was never able to reach a live person. Like many other people and places, the
ARC may not have been that well prepared for the attack.
So
Wei Jingsheng and I decided to go out to the Pentagon to see what happened and
to help in case of need. As we
were driving from the southwest corner of Washington DC, crossing Potomac River
to get on Interstate 395 we could see the smoke coming out of the opposite side
of the Pentagon. There were people
walking on the expressway, dressed formally with their briefcases in their
hands; a scene we never saw before.
The exits to the Pentagon were already sealed and obviously there were
plenty emergency personnel. So we
continued southward on I395 to some stores to stockpile our food and supplies
in preparing for the worst. When
we came back after shopping and lunch, the I395 northbound to Washington DC was
also blocked, so we had to take a tricky way to return to Washington DC.
For
the rest of 3 days, I tried a number of ways to get 2 air tickets to Europe so
our event would not have to be cancelled.
Eventually I was able to get two tickets to Zurich via "back doors"
on September 18, so I decided to go back home in Ohio before the trip. At that time there was no way to get a
flight back north, so I decided to drive the 800 km (i.e. 500 miles) home.
Although
I have driven between Washington DC and Toledo more than 100 times in the past
20 years, this one drive was the most memorable. There were much fewer vehicles on the road and no airplane
traces in the sky! As night approached,
especially near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the stars even appeared to be much
brighter. Was that due to less
pollution from the air, or just an emotional sensibility from this great
tragedy, I could not tell.
The
United Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania was less than 5 miles from the
Interstate 70/76 that I have to go on each time I go to or return from
Washington DC. It is located in
Somerset county, part of the Laurel Highlands that are the region with highest
altitude on my 800 km route. On a
winter day, it is often cold and dark, sometimes with goose-feather sized snow
that turns away travelers. My
vehicle has broken down twice in that region on winter days so I know it could
be really cold. Yet, the chill I
felt that day in mid September of 2001 when I drove by the Shanksville crash
site was the coldest of all.
I salute to these people on Flight 93 who
are true heroes. Facing the threat
and death, they bravely fought bravely against the terrorists and sacrificed
their own lives for those at the intended target.
After
I modified my will, on September 18, 2001, Wei Jingsheng and I finally were
able to board a very full Delta Airlines flight for Europe. That flight had many Muslims on board,
many of them were women and children.
Uncertain of future, many passengers appeared to be nervous and anxious.
The victims of the terrorism were not just
Americans, but also these Muslims.
As
our plane departed the gate in Washington Dulles airport and pulled to the
runway, it stopped and did not move for several hours. I noticed that there were no more
airplanes landing or taking off anymore.
Then, more than one dozen police cars and military looking vehicles
surrounded our airplane. I
realized something really serious happened and quickly told Wei Jingsheng what
to do in case the authorities separated us. Indeed, we were informed that we must leave the airplane
with only our IDs, tickets and a small bag. Outside of our airplane in that evening, there were many US
marshals (I think, although could not figure out why) in dark clothes with some
machine guns looking weapons in their hands. We were reviewed one by one carefully; fortunately, the two
of us were not in much trouble despite the lack of official passports. We were told that the FBI detected
something right before the take off, though I am not sure that would be the
reason, but accepted it as a real time exercise. We were also told that the flight must be delayed until the
second day. During that period,
cell phones had no signals in Dulles airport, so it was another round of
dazzling chaos when I tried to reach and inform our European hosts not to drive
all the way to Zurich from Liechtenstein, etc.
More
than one week after the September 11 tragedy, we were finally able to take our
flight to Europe. Our air route
exactly went over the World Trade Center towers in Manhattan, where I could
still see clearly smoke coming out of that ground. To think that more than 2000 lives perished underneath
stalled my thoughts...
As I witness the aftermath of all the 4
attacks on the USA and mourn the thousands innocent lives lost to the
terrorism, I believe and support war against terrorism in principle. However, it would be a different matter
as to how it should be conducted.
On
September 11, 2002, I was in Orvieto, Italy, with Wei Jingsheng for some
events. We had a very busy day,
but I still chose to watch the TV segment of memorial in the USA.
On
September 11, 2003, I was in Washington DC. Three days earlier, I made a statement in the US Congress to
the China Commission about the lack of press freedom in China. The Chinese Communist regime exploits
the 9/11 tragedy for its own advantage and escalated its suppression over
freedom.
By
then, the US government had launch both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to fight
against terrorism. It is not
easy. But what about state terrorism,
when people die in the tens of thousands, and are persecuted in millions and
suppressed in hundreds of millions?
To me, every September 11 is a day of
remembrance, and more so an inspiration for us to strike back at terrorism,
include state terrorism by authoritarian regimes.
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中文版
Overseas
Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A654-O181
中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A654-O181
Release
Date: September 11, 2011
发布日：2011年9月11日
Topic:
Every September 11 is a Day of Remembrance and Inspiration for Us to Strike Back
at Terrorism -- Ciping Huang
标题： 9/11的纪念与启迪 -- 黄慈萍
Original
Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)
此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）
如有中文乱码问题，请与我们联系或访问:
http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2011/report2011-09/HuangCP110911on911A654-O181.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
9/11的纪念与启迪
-- 黄慈萍，
2011年9月11日
除了今年，过去的十年来，每年的9月11日我都在外或旅途中，其中5次是在飞机上。毫无疑义，每年的这一天，尤其是在飞机上时，我的思绪就会联想到 9/11恐怖袭击事件。
事实上，十年前悲剧的阴影至今还笼罩在我们的心头，影响久长。
2001年9月12日，魏京生和我本应从华盛顿飞往瑞士。9月11日的早晨，我们在距美国国会大厦1公里，距五角大楼2公里的地方，收到了一个记者朋友的电话，叫我们立即去看电视。电视里，世界贸易中心北塔正在燃烧，主持人在探讨原因。但我们都认为，那是蓄意的行为。最难忘和痛苦的时刻是我正在对魏京生作“希望没有另一架飞机去撞另一幢楼”的评论时，第二架飞机出现了。我不由地喊出：“美国被袭击了！”
早在90年代起，特别是在1993年2月的世贸大厦爆炸案后，我就认为这种攻击是不可避免的，尽管我不曾想象过9/11袭击这样的情景与恐怖。
在我们观看电视的现场直播时，我联想到下一个目标就该是华盛顿，尤其是美国国会或白宫。因此，当我们感觉到地面震撼以及之后的巨响和门窗的震动时，我查看的是国会大厦。起先报道的是美国国务院被撞，但后来被纠正为五角大楼。半小时之后，我们了解到，有第四架飞机在宾夕法尼亚州坠毁。我当时就想，那也是针对华盛顿的。
想到由此所能造成的成千上万的伤亡，我立即给纽约的亲友们打电话确认他们的安全。电视上最悲惨的一幕是世贸大厦上的那些人寻求生路或只求速死，他们站在高楼的窗上却又不敢跳下。那种无望的感觉真是令人寒心。
总就意外的非正常死亡作了思想准备的我，不免好奇那些可怜的人在此生命的最后一刻的想法，进而更对他们及其亲人感到同情。
那天的后来，所有的飞机都停飞了。我们第二天的飞行也被取消了。只好通知在欧洲的主持人推迟我们的活动。魏京生还让我打电话给一些美国朋友，包括国会成员的朋友，来表达我们的同情和支持。这其中包括美国众议员考克斯，他后来成为美国众议院国土安全委员会的第一任永久主席，其职责就是专门就9/11袭击后成立的国土安全部予以授权和政策监督。多年来，为了一些严肃且理性的事务,我多次出入美国国会，很少有感情的成分。但那天晚些时候的一幕却深深地打动了我：人们聚集在美国国会大厦的门口，以歌声来表达他们的勇敢，他们的团结一心以及对国家和人民的热爱。
我深信一个民主制度必须、最终也必将克服少数人的恐怖主义和专制主义，因为它有着人民的意志和力量。
那是混乱的一天，但也是体现人情和爱心的一天。我们收到了许多关心我们的朋友的电话。考虑到需要人献血的可能，我也曾试图与美国红十字会联络，但没有找到合适的人。像许多其它地方一样，他们似乎也对这次袭击缺乏全面的准备。
后来，老魏和我决定去五角大楼方向，看看情况并在可能和需要的情况下提供帮助。在我们从华盛顿的西南角，穿越波托马克河行驶在395号州际公路上时，可以看到五角大楼另一面冒出的浓烟。有些穿着正式、公文包在手的人在高速公路行走。这是一个我们从来没有见过的场景。当时，去五角大楼的出口已被堵上，显然已有很多急救人员。于是我们继续南行，去店里采购食品及其它用品以防不测。在购物和午餐后，我们发现395北行到华盛顿的路也被封锁，所以我们不得不采取了一个灵巧的方式返回华盛顿。
之后的三天，为了避免我们在欧洲的活动不得不被取消，我花了点力气终于靠“后门”定了两张于9月18日去苏黎世的票。于是我决定在行前返回俄亥俄州。没有北行的机票，我只好驱车回家。
二十多年来，在这条800公里长的华盛顿到托利多的路上，我来回上百次。但这一次的旅行却是记忆最深的。那天路上车辆稀少，尤其是天上没有飞机飞行的喷气尾线！当夜色来临，尤其是靠近宾夕法尼亚州的尚克斯维尔，星星显得分外明亮。我无法辨别那是由于空气污染减少的缘故，还是悲剧引发的感情型的误差。
美国联航的93号航班在宾夕法尼亚州坠毁的地点尚克斯维尔离70/76号州际公路不到5英里，那是我来返华盛顿的必经之路。尚克斯维尔坐落在萨默塞特县，是劳雷尔高地的一部分。这是我800公里路线上海拔最高的地区。它的冬天寒冷而又黑暗，常常还有鹅毛大雪，威胁着旅客们的前行。在那一带，我的车曾在冬天抛锚过两次，把我冻得够呛。然而，2001年9月中旬的那一天，当我开车路过93号航班在尚克斯维尔坠毁的地区时，感觉才是最冷的。
我崇仰93号航班上的那些乘客，他们是真正的英雄。面临威胁和死亡，他们勇敢地与恐怖分子作斗争。他们用自己的生命拯救了别人。
2001年9月18日，魏京生和我终于登上了去欧洲的飞机。飞机上有许多穆斯林，尤其是妇女和儿童。前途未卜，很多乘客显得紧张和焦虑。
恐怖主义的受害者不仅仅是美国人，也包括这些穆斯林。
我们的飞机离开华盛顿杜勒斯国际机场的机门??并上了跑道后，却停了下来，整整好几个小时。我注意到，机场上已没有飞机的降落和起飞。之后，十多辆警车和军式车辆包围了我们的飞机。这使我意识到事态的严重。我迅速地就权威方面一旦把我和魏京生分开的可能作了安排。果然，我们被告知，我们必须只带上自己的身份证、机票和一个小袋子，立即离开飞机。黄昏的飞机口上，许多身穿深色服装、手握机枪的美国法警严阵以待。我们逐一被仔细检查。所幸的是，虽然没有正式的护照，我们并没有遇到太多的麻烦。我们被告知，在我们即将起飞前，联邦调查局发现了一些事情。我虽不完全相信他们说的，不过也只好接受，就当是个演习吧。我们还被告知，航班必须推迟到明天。在此期间，杜勒斯机场手机信号被屏蔽了。结果又是一轮令人眼花缭乱的混乱，因为我得及时通知欧洲的主持人，不要从列支敦士登到苏黎世来接我们。
在9/11悲剧的一个多星期后，我们终于飞往欧洲。在我们的飞机飞越曼哈顿世界贸易中心双塔的上空时，我仍然可以清楚地看到废墟里冒出的浓烟。想到两千多条活生生的人命葬身在那里，我的呼吸好像也停止了。
亲身经历、亲眼目睹了这一切对美国的袭击，以及恐怖主义造成的数千无辜人民的丧生，我相信并支持打击恐怖主义的原则。然而，如何反恐，则是一个不同的问题。
2002年9月11日，我与魏京生在意大利的奥维多参加活动。那是非常忙碌的一天，但我还是抽时间观看了有关美国的纪念活动的电视节目。
2003年9月11日，我在华盛顿特区。
在那3天前，我在美国国会的中国委员会讲述中国没有新闻自由的问题。中国共产党政权利用9/11悲剧且更加强了对自由的镇压。
那时，美国政府在阿富汗和伊拉克的以打击恐怖主义为目标的战争已经展开。那是场很不容易的战争。但人们是否意识到国家恐怖主义的灾难？国家恐怖主义导致了成千上万的无辜死亡，数以百万计的群众被迫害，数亿的老百姓受打压。
对我来说，每年的9月11日不仅仅是一个纪念日，更是一种启迪：它激励我们反击恐怖主义，包括独裁政权的国家恐怖主义。
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