9/11: A YEAR LATER -- 12 September 2002

>> >> Michael: JUST AHEAD, A
SPECIAL ONE-HOUR EDITION OF
"NEED TO KNOW" AS ROCHESTER
EXAMINES 9/11 ONE YEAR LATER.
(Bells tolling)
>> THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW," THE
ROCHESTER AREA'S ONLY IN-DEPTH
NEWS PROGRAM.
"NEED TO KNOW" IS A PRODUCTION
OF WXXI NEWS AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS COVERING ISSUES,
POLITICS, EDUCATION AND
CURRENT EVENTS.
>> "NEED TO KNOW" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE DAISY MARQUIS
JONES FOUNDATION, BY DORSCHEL
LEXUS AND THROUGH THE SUPPORT
OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
>> Michael: GOOD EVENING.
I'M MICHAEL CAPUTO.
BY NOW YOU HAVE BEEN REMINDED
OF THOSE HORRIFIC PICTURES OF
THE TOWERS.
YOU HAVE LIKELY HEARD THE
STORIES OF SURVIVAL AND THOSE
OF GRIEF.
TAKEN IN ALONE, THESE EVENTS
STILL HAVE THE POWER TO
OVERWHELM.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE COMING
TOGETHER TONIGHT, AS A
COMMUNITY, NOT TO RELIVE, BUT
TO REFLECT.
TWELVE MEMBERS OF OUR
ROCHESTER COMMUNITY ARE HERE
TO DISCUSS WHERE WE'VE BEEN
OVER THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS
AND WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO
HEAD.
WE BREAK UP OUR CONVERSATION
INTO FOUR AREAS: RELIGION,
YOUTH, GOVERNMENT,
VOLUNTEERISM.
WE INVITE YOU TO LISTEN FOR
WAYS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY
CAN CONNECT, WAYS WE CAN
FURTHER OUR UNDERSTANDING,
WAYS WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
AS WE CONTINUE LIVING IN THIS
NEW CHAPTER OF OUR AMERICAN
HISTORY.
FIRST WE LOOK AT RELIGION, HOW
OUR SPIRITUALITY HAS EVOLVED
SINCE A YEAR AGO.
WE BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION WITH
ONE OF FOUR CONVERSATIONS
RECORDED BY "NEED TO KNOW'S"
MATT CUMMINGS.
IN THIS FIRST ONE, WE HEAR
FROM THE REVEREND ERROL HUNT
OF MEMORIAL A.M.E. ZION CHURCH
IN ROCHESTER.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS
DUMFOUNDED.
I DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT
EVEN THOUGH I SAW IT.
I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
SOME KIND OF A GAG OR
WHATEVER.
BUT TO THINK THAT SOMEONE,
SOME PEOPLE COULD FLY A PLANE
INTO THOSE TWIN TOWERS AT
THOSE SPEEDS, IT'S JUST BEYOND
MY COMPREHENSION.
TO KILL PEOPLE, THAT'S A HECK
OF A CAUSE THAT PEOPLE HAVE.
I JUST WISH THAT CHRISTIANS
HAD THE SAME FERVOR IN DOING
WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE SITE OF
GOD.
I WAS DUMFOUNDED, DIDN'T
BELIEVE IT AND DON'T WANT TO
SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT MY
FEAR IS THAT FEAR IS STILL
BEING PLACED INTO THE HEARTS
OF HUMANKIND HERE IN AMERICA.
WE HEAR FROM RUMSFELD THAT
THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND
THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AND THAT
MIGHT HAPPEN.
FEAR ON TOP OF FEAR IS NOT
GOOD.
SO FOR PARISHIONERS, ALL WE
CAN DO IS STEER THEM TO THE
BIBLE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO
BELIEVE IN GOD, BUT WE HAVE TO
BELIEVE FIRST.
THE LEADERS HAVE TO BELIEVE
FIRST, AND IT PUTS US TO THE
TEST AND IT PUTS OTHERS TO THE
TEST BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY
HUMAN, BUT HUMANS YET HAVING
FAITH THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE
ALL RIGHT.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE SAW IT
HAPPEN AND WATCHING THE NEWS,
IT WAS REAL, WE HAVE TO, EVEN
IN SPITE OF THAT, KEEP ON
PUSHING ON AND WORKING FOR THE
GOOD OF HUMANKIND, GETTING OUR
MEMBERS TO DO THAT, YET WORK
TO WIN THE BATTLE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE NOW UNTIL HE
COMES.
(Music)
>> Michael: WE CONTINUE OUR
CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW WITH
THREE LEARNED MEMBERS OF OUR
COMMUNITY.
RABBI LAURENCE KOTOK OF TEMPLE
B'RITH KODESH; MUHAMMAD SHAFIQ
OF THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF
ROCHESTER; AND FATHER BILL
DONNELLY AT St. MARY'S CHURCH.
RABBI KOTOK, I'D LIKE TO START
WITH YOU IF I COULD.
WE JUST HEARD REVEREND HUNT
TALK ABOUT RELIGIOUS LEADERS
BEING PUT TO THE TEST.
I'D LIKE TO BROADEN THAT A
LITTLE BIT.
IS RELIGION BEING PUT TO THE
TEST?
>> WELL, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON
HOW ONE ASSUMES OR DEFINES
RELIGION.
I THINK CERTAINLY THIS YEAR
HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO US AS
TO WHAT RELIGION STANDS FOR,
HOW PEOPLE DEFINE RELIGION,
HOW PEOPLE HAVE DONE ACTS OF
HORRIFIC BEHAVIOR IN THE NAME
OF RELIGION.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR THE FAITH
COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO
DIFFERENTIATE, BE ABLE TO
STAND UP AND SPEAK ABOUT WHAT
OUR REAL VALUES ARE, WHAT WE
REALLY NEED AND HAVE THAT BE A
CONSISTENCY AMONG OUR
COMMUNITIES AND AMONG OUR
RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDSHIPS
THAT WE SHARE.
>> Michael: Dr. SHAFIQ, THERE
IS THIS PUSH-AND-PULL, I
THINK, BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND
FAITH.
ONE WHO BELIEVES STRONGLY --
HOW CAN SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES
STRONGLY ALSO LISTEN AND BE
ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE WHO
DON'T BELIEVE AS THEY DO,
ESPECIALLY AFTER 9/11?
>> IT'S VERY TRUE.
AS YOU ARE SAYING THAT, IN
ISLAM, ALSO IF YOU LOOK TO THE
RELIGION, IT'S A RELIGION OF
FORGIVENESS.
IT'S A RELIGION OF TOLERANCE.
IT'S A RELIGION OF MUTUAL
RESPECT AND WORKING TOGETHER
AND UNDERSTANDING ONE ANOTHER.
BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, RELIGION
IS SOMETHING THAT SOMETIMES
PEOPLE MISUSE IT.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE OTHER
PROBLEMS IN THEIR LIFE, SOCIAL
PROBLEM, ECONOMIC PROBLEM,
POLITICAL PROBLEMS, AND THEY
HAPPEN TO BE MUSLIMS,
CHRISTIANS, JEWS, BUDDHIST,
HINDUS OR ANYTHING.
BUT THOSE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY
HAVE IN THEIR LIFE, AND THEY
HAPPEN TO BELONG TO SOME
RELIGION, THEY MISUSE THE NAME
OF GOD ALSO FOR THEIR
ACTIVITIES, WITHOUT LOOKING AT
THE VERY BELIEF AND TO THE
VERY ESSENTIAL CORE OF THEIR
OWN RELIGION, WHATEVER THEIR
RELIGION HAS BEEN; ALL THESE
RELIGIONS, THEY CLAIM TO BE
RELIGION OF ONE GOD.
ALL OF THEM GOD SAYS -- IN THE
KORAN GOD SAYS IN THE ANALOG
OF RASHIM, "INDEED I AM THE
MOST FORGIVING AND THE MOST
MERCIFUL."
WITHOUT LOOKING TO THAT VERY
TEACHING OF GOD, THEY TAKE
INNOCENT PEOPLE LIVES.
ALSO THE KORAN SAYS, IF YOU
KILL AN INNOCENT PERSON, LIKE
YOU HAVE KILLED THE WHOLE OF
HUMANITY.
AND IF YOU SAVE AN INNOCENT
PERSON, LIKE YOU HAVE SAVED
THE WHOLE OF HUMANITY.
>> I WOULD JUST RESPOND AND
SAY ALSO IT DEPENDS ON THE
PERSPECTIVE OF THE RELIGION
ITSELF AS TO WHETHER IT SEES
ITSELF AS THE ONLY OWNER OF
TRUTH IN THE WORLD AND,
THEREFORE, FEELS AN OWNERSHIP
TRUTH.
JUDAISM HAS NEVER REALLY
BELIEVED THAT.
JUDAISM HAS BELIEVED THERE
WERE MANY PATHS TO THE ONE
GOD, THAT WE HAVE BEEN
RESPECTFUL OF ISLAM AND
CHRISTIANITY AND SEEN THOSE AS
PERFECT AND COMPLETE FAITH
SYSTEMS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO
BELIEVE IN THEM.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN IN A
COMPETITIVE EXPERIENCE WHERE
WE ONLY SAW OURSELVES AS
OWNING TRUTH.
I THINK THAT MAKES A VERY
ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY
IN WHICH RELIGION GETS
EXPLOITED IN THE WORLD TODAY.
>> LET ME ADD TO THAT WHAT
LARRY JUST SAID.
WHEN ISLAM CAME, JUDAISM AND
CHRISTIANITY WERE AHEAD OF
THAT.
ISLAM CAME FROM THE SAME
THEORIES.
WE CALL IT WESTERN RELIGION,
JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY,
HAVING THE SAME THOUGHTS,
HAVING THE SAME PRINCIPLES
MOSTLY TOGETHER, THOUGH THERE
ARE DIFFERENCES ALSO BETWEEN
THESE THREE RELIGIONS.
WHEN ISLAM CAME, ISLAM
RECOGNIZED -- AND THIS WAS THE
FIRST THING, IF YOU SEE IN
RELIGIOUS CIVILIZATION AND
WORLD CIVILIZATION, THAT ISLAM
RECOGNIZED THE PRESENCE OF
OTHER RELIGIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, RELIGION, THE
PRESENCE OF OTHER RELIGIONS,
ESPECIALLY JUDAISM AND
CHRISTIANITY FROM WHERE ISLAM
CAME ALSO FROM THE SAME AREA,
RECOGNIZED THEM AND,
THEREFORE, FOR MUSLIMS TO
BELIEVE ON THAT VERY HERITAGE.
IN OTHER WORDS PART AND PARCEL
OF MUSLIM BELIEF TO BELIEVE IN
THE TORAH, TO BELIEVE ON THE
GOSPEL AND TO BELIEVE ON THE
KORAN.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW ISLAM ALSO
CREATED A SITUATION WHERE
PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS COULD
BE RESPECTED, WHERE PEOPLE OF
OTHER FAITHS COULD HAVE A
GENUINE DIALOGUE TOWARDS, WITH
ONE ANOTHER AND SIT TOGETHER
AND WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER.
>> Michael: FATHER DONNELLY,
LET ME ASK YOU THIS, IF I CAN.
HOW HAS THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN GOD AND US CHANGED
SINCE 9/11?
HOW HAS IT CHANGED?
>> I THINK IT'S BEEN
CHALLENGED IN THE SENSE THAT A
LOT OF THE COMMENTARY ON 9/11
SEEMED TO GO THROUGH GROUPS
THAT HAD ABSOLUTELY NO
TOLERANCE, AND I THINK WHAT WE
HAVE HAD TO DO, WHAT OUR
THRUST HAS BEEN IS TO
REACQUAINT OUR PEOPLE WITH
BASICALLY THE PRINCIPLES OF
TOLERANCE AND THE PRINCIPLES
THAT WHAT GOD DOES IS CALLS US
TO A DEEPER, TRUER SELF AND
THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
RESPOND TO THAT CALL, AT THE
SAME TIME RESPECTING OTHER
PEOPLE, RESPECTING PEOPLE OF
OTHER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, OF
OTHER RELIGIOUS TRADITION.
I THINK OUR CHALLENGE IS TO
KIND OF TAKE THE FEAR THAT
EXISTS IN PEOPLE'S MINDS AND
HEARTS AND TO GO BEYOND THAT
TO HELP OUR PEOPLE COME OUT OF
THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE NOT LESS
TOLERANT BUT MORE TOLERANT AND
MORE UNDERSTANDING.
THE DANGER OF FEAR, I THINK,
IS THAT IT CAN DRIVE US WITHIN
OURSELF, WITHIN OUR OWN GROUP,
WHERE WE FORCE OUT AND WE PAY
NO ATTENTION TO OTHER GROUPS.
TO ME THAT'S THE CHALLENGE
THAT AS RELIGIOUS LEADERS WE
FACE.
>> Michael: WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN
IN YOUR OWN HOUSES OF WORSHIP?
>> ONE THING I WANT TO SAY,
THERE'S A CERTAIN
RESPONSIBILITY I THINK WE
SHOULD MENTION THAT MEDIA
ALSO.
THE MEDIA IS PONDERING TOO
MUCH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOO
MUCH FEAR IN THE MINDS OF THE
PEOPLE AND TALKING MUCH ABOUT
THAT.
IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT THE
GOOD WORK WHICH THE RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITIES ARE DOING AROUND.
I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE LET THE PEOPLE KNOW
HOW THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
ARE INTERACTING TOGETHER, HOW
GOOD WORK THEY'RE DOING IN
DIFFERENT FIELDS, HOW MANY
PROGRAMS ARE THERE, AND
ESPECIALLY THE WESTERN THREE
RELIGIONS, WE ARE VERY MUCH
INTERCONNECTED, YOU KNOW,
LARRY, ME AND THE CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITY; WE ARE WORKING SO
HARD TOGETHER AND WE HAVE SO
MANY PROGRAMS.
I THINK IF PEOPLE SEE A HOPE,
AND THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE MEDIA ALSO, THAT WHILE
THE FEAR IS THERE, THAT WE
GIVE A HOPE, A HOPE OF
RENEWAL, A HOPE OF WORKING
TOGETHER, A HOPE OF
UNDERSTANDING ONE ANOTHER.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS GOING
TO BLESS OUR COUNTRY AND I
THINK THAT'S WHAT MEDIA CAN
DO.
>> I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE
GREAT CHALLENGES OF THIS PAST
YEAR IS TO GET BEYOND OUR OWN
PERCEPTION OF NOT ONLY
OURSELVES AS AMERICANS BUT TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THERE REALLY
ARE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO
HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWS OF
WHAT THE FUTURE SHOULD BE AND
HOW THAT FUTURE SHOULD BE
INTEGRATED.
I THINK WE'VE LIVED IN A KIND
OF A SELF-DEFINED PERCEPTION
THAT EVERYBODY COULD BE
REASONABLE, THAT EVERYBODY
COULD SIT DOWN TOGETHER, THAT
EVERYBODY SHARED THE SAME
VALUES.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT
REVELATIONS, IN A SENSE, OF
THIS EXPERIENCE IS THAT THAT
JUST IS NOT THE REALITY, AND
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE OF
WHETHER GOOD AND EVIL ACTUALLY
EXISTS IN THE WORLD HAS BECOME
VERY REAL TO US; EVEN THOUGH
THOSE WHO MAY ACT IN THE NAME
OF A RELIGIOUS FAITH AND
EXPLOIT IT AND THINK THAT THEY
ARE DOING GOOD IS A CONFLICT
WITH THE PERCEPTION THAT WE
HOLD ABOUT WHAT GOOD IS IN OUR
OWN WORLD.
AND I THINK THAT FOR OUR OWN
COMMUNITIES, FOR OUR
COMMUNITY, THIS EXPERIENCE
TOOK PLACE RIGHT BEFORE THE
COMING OF THE JEWISH HIGH HOLY
DAYS, WHICH BROUGHT AN
ENORMOUS SENSE OF
INTROSPECTION AND CHALLENGE AS
TO WHAT DO YOU DO?
HOW DO YOU LIVE?
WHAT ARE THE CHOICES THAT YOU
MAKE?
AND CLEARLY, FOR ME, ONE OF
THE EXPERIENCES OF THIS PAST
YEAR HAS BEEN THAT, IN LIGHT
OF A WORLD THAT ISN'T EASY ANY
MORE, DEFINING WHO YOU ARE
ACTUALLY BECOMES MORE
IMPORTANT.
>> Michael: I THINK PEOPLE
REACHED OUT TO RELIGION SOON
AFTER.
THEY DID.
DID PEOPLE REACH OUT IN FAITH,
OR DID IT RECEDE BACK?
WHAT DID YOU SEE IN YOUR
HOUSES?
>> WELL, TO SOME EXTENT IT'S
RECEDED BACK BECAUSE, WHENEVER
ANYTHING OF SUCH SIGNIFICANCE
HAPPENS, THERE'S A RUSH OF
PEOPLE.
WHILE THERE WAS SOME RECEDING
BACK FROM THAT, THOSE DEEPER
QUESTIONS THAT YOU TALKED
ABOUT WERE WHAT PEOPLE WERE
ASKING ALL THROUGH THE YEAR.
HOW DO WE MAINTAIN OUR OWN
SENSE OF WHO WE ARE, OUR SENSE
OF FAITH AND AT THE SAME TIME
DEAL WITH OVERWHELMING EVIL
AND THE PEOPLE'S USE --
PEOPLE'S USE OF RELIGION TO DO
EVIL, AND HOW DOES THAT ALL
PLAY OUT FOR ALL OF US?
SO IT WAS A VERY DEEP
CHALLENGE TO PEOPLE I THINK TO
MAINTAIN A SENSE OF TRUE
RELIGIOUS BELIEF, BUT ALSO TO
RETAIN THAT OPENNESS TO
OTHERS, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A HALLMARK OF ALL TRUE
RELIGIONS THAT WE SEE, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF US AS SISTERS AND
BROTHERS; AND I THINK THAT WAS
THE BIG CHALLENGE, AND THOSE
WERE THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE
WERE ASKING ME.
HOW DO WE MAINTAIN OURSELVES
IN THE LIGHT OF ALL OF THIS?
>> Michael: JUST HAVE A FEW
SECONDS.
>> YOU KNOW, THE INTERFAITH
COMMUNITY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11
HAS COME ALONG ALL TOGETHER.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF PROGRAMS
WHICH WERE PUT TOGETHER SINCE
SEPTEMBER 11, AND YOU CAN SEE
A LOT OF CONNECTIONS WHICH
HAPPENED.
AND ONE THING WHICH I SEE OUT
OF THAT WHEN WE SIT TOGETHER
IN OUR CIRCLES, YOU KNOW,
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY, THE
QUESTION HAS BEEN THAT THERE
HAS BEEN A LOT OF PRESSURE ON
RELIGION FROM THE MEDIA SIDE.
THE MEDIA HAS NOT TRIED TO
SEPARATE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL ISSUES FROM
RELIGION, AND THAT'S -- IF
ANYBODY UTTERS THE NAME OF
RELIGION AND DOES WRONG,
CERTAINLY THAT WRONG IS WRONG
ACCORDING TO RELIGION; BUT
THAT HAS TO BE FURTHER
ANALYZED, HOW MUCH SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL ISSUES
ARE INVOLVED THERE?
>> Michael: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU.
PERHAPS NO SEGMENT OF SOCIETY,
AMERICAN SOCIETY HAVE FELT THE
PAIN OF 9/11 MORE ACUTELY THAN
THE YOUNG.
HERE ARE A FEW YOUNG PEOPLE
AND THEIR THOUGHTS.
>> WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS
GOING ON, AND IT WAS DURING
SCHOOL SO IT WAS A BIG ISSUE
AND EVERYBODY WAS TALKING
ABOUT IT, AND IT WAS REALLY
HARD TO SEE SOME KIDS WHO,
LIKE, KNEW SOMEBODY WHO LIVED
DOWN THERE OR LIVED OR WORKED
THERE.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO,
LIKE, THINK OF IT.
AND THEN WHEN WE GOT HOME, IT
WAS JUST REALLY SAD TO THINK
OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT LOST
THEIR LIVES, LIKE IN AN
INSTANT AND HOW, YOU KNOW,
THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN
DIFFERENT.
>> IN EVERY ERA THERE IS, YOU
KNOW, AN EVENT THAT YOU ALWAYS
REMEMBER, LIKE I GUESS IN THE
'60s LIKE KENNEDY.
YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO WAS AT
THAT TIME REMEMBER WHERE THEY
WERE AT THE SPECIFIC MOMENT
WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT HE
HAD BEEN SHOT, AND THEN LIKE
WITH PEARL HARBOR AND
EVERYTHING.
SO THEN FOR US IN THE 2000s,
SEPTEMBER 11th IS ONE OF THOSE
EVENTS THAT WE'LL REMEMBER,
YOU KNOW, FOR THE REST OF OUR
LIVES.
>> IS THIS GOING TO BE AN
ONGOING THING?
LIKE PEARL HARBOR, YOU KNOW
YOU STILL TALK ABOUT IT WHEN
DECEMBER 7th ROLLS AROUND.
LIKE YOUR GRANDPARENTS ARE
GOING TO BE LIKE OH, WELL,
HERE I WAS.
SO I'M GOING TO TELL MY KIDS
WHERE I WAS WHEN I FOUND OUT
AND, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST
GONNA SAY THAT IT WAS A VERY
EMOTIONAL DAY, A SAD DAY FOR
AMERICA.
>> I DIDN'T HAVE A POSITIVE
OUTLOOK ABOUT THE WHOLE
SITUATION.
UM, ONE, FIRST OFF, I THOUGHT
IT WAS TOO MUCH PUBLICITY
BECAUSE EVERYBODY SEEMED LIKE
THAT THE PEOPLE OVERSEAS THAT
CAME AND ATTACKED US WERE ALL
IN THE WRONG, AND I FELT THAT
THERE WAS ANOTHER SIDE TO THE
STORY AND EVERYBODY SHOULD ADD
LIGHT, SEE WHAT AMERICA HAD
DID TO THEM AND BE MORE
OPINIONATED ABOUT HOW OTHERS
FEEL ABOUT REAL LOVED ONES
BEING KILLED, NOT JUST ABOUT
US.
I KNOW IT WAS BAD.
I'M NOT JUSTIFYING IT THAT IT
WAS OKAY, BUT I JUST -- I
THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH
GOING INTO IT.
AND THEY STILL TALK ABOUT IT
STILL TO THE DAY.
A WHOLE YEAR HAS PASSED.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME
CLOSURE FOR THE REST OF THE
WEEK.
THAT'S JUST HOW I FEEL.
>> I FELT REALLY BAD FOR THE
PEOPLE THAT IT HAPPENED TO,
BUT THEN I WAS, LIKE, WHAT
COULD POSSIBLY HAVE MADE THOSE
PEOPLE SO MAD TO DO THAT TO US
OR TO WANT TO HURT AMERICANS
AND TO TRY TO, LIKE, DESTROY
WHATEVER THEY WERE AIMING FOR.
>> I FELT BAD FOR THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE IN THE BUILDINGS.
WE SAW THAT PEOPLE WERE
TRAPPED, YOU KNOW, ON THE
FLOORS.
THEN I FELT BAD FOR ALL THE
PEOPLE ON THE PLANE.
I WANTED TO KNOW WHY THEY
WOULD DO THAT; WHAT, YOU KNOW,
AMERICA DID TO THEM.
I DON'T THINK SO.
I THINK WE STILL NEED TO, YOU
KNOW, LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE
WHY, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN GROUPS
OF PEOPLE HAVE SUCH HATRED
TOWARDS AMERICA AND THEN TRY
TO FIX, YOU KNOW, THEIR
PROBLEM.
INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, JUST
TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, RETALIATE
ON THOSE PEOPLE WHO DID THAT
TO US.
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO
END.
THERE'S TOO MUCH HATRED
BETWEEN EVERYONE, TOO HARD TO
FIND PEACE.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE
PEOPLE WHO SUFFER AND PEOPLE
WHO HATE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU
DO.
YOU CAN'T TOUCH IT.
IT'S THE WAY THE WORLD IS.
>> YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE AND
FORGET, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M
GOING TO TRY TO DO.
(Music)
>> Michael: WE CONTINUE OUR
CONVERSATION NOW WITH THREE
MORE PANELISTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
WE HAVE JOANNE PEDRO-CARROLL,
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT AT THE CHILDREN'S
INSTITUTE; TAMARA WALL,
16-YEAR-OLD FROM IRONDEQUOIT;
AND CHRISTINA DANDINO,
DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTY YOUTH
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
Dr. PEDRO-CARROLL, YOU HEARD
THE LAST YOUNG LADY SAY WHAT
SHE'S GOING TO TRY AND DO IS
FORGIVE AND FORGET.
IS THAT ENOUGH FOR PARENTS TO
TELL THEIR CHILDREN TO FORGIVE
AND FORGET?
WHAT SHOULD PARENTS TELL THEIR
CHILDREN A YEAR LATER?
>> I THINK AS PARENTS WE HAVE
TO BE LISTENING AND ALWAYS
COMMUNICATING WITH OUR
CHILDREN.
CERTAINLY TALKING WITH THEM
ABOUT NOT ONLY TOLERANCE OF
OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEWS AND
DIVERSITY, BUT REALLY LEARNING
MORE ABOUT PEOPLE'S
DIFFERENCES SO THAT WE CAN
HAVE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.
I THINK THAT TRAGIC EVENTS
THAT HAVE OCCURRED, ALSO AS
HORRIFIC AS THEY WERE, GIVE US
AN OPPORTUNITY, AND THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR US TO BE
TEACHING OUR CHILDREN VALUES
OF COMPASSION, EMPATHY FOR
OTHERS; AND ANY TRAGEDY
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, AND
WE'VE HEARD LOTS OF EXAMPLES
OF PEOPLE REACHING OUT.
>> Michael: HOW HARD IS THAT
WHEN YOU YOURSELF ARE EVEN
CONFUSED ABOUT IT?
>> I THINK IT CAN BE VERY
HARD, AND NOW AS ADULTS, WE
HAVE THE COGNITIVE
UNDERSTANDING AND ABILITY TO
TRY AND SORT SOME OF THESE
COMPLEX SITUATIONS OUT.
AND AS CHILDREN, WHAT THEY
NEED MOST IS TO KNOW THAT
THEY'RE SAFE, THAT PEOPLE WILL
CARE FOR THEM, THAT THEY'RE
PROTECTED AND LOVED.
AND SO IT'S MORE INCUMBENT
UPON US AS PARENTS THAN EVER
TO BE REALLY FOCUSED WITH OUR
CHILDREN ON WHAT WE CAN AND
CAN'T CONTROL AND PUTTING OUR
ENERGY INTO A LOVING
RELATIONSHIP AND ONE THAT
WE'RE TEACHING THEM IMPORTANT
VALUES.
>> Michael: TAMARA, LET ME ASK
YOU: HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR
GENERATION VIEWS THAT EVENT
AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE
THEN?
WHAT DO THEY UNDERSTAND AND
WHAT DO YOU THINK KIDS DON'T
UNDERSTAND?
>> UM, I THINK GROWING UP IN A
GENERATION, I THINK THAT'S NO
LONGER ANY SURPRISE TO WHAT
COULD HAPPEN.
IF YOU LOOK AT COLUMBINE AND,
YOU KNOW, KIDS EVERY DAY ARE
LIVING IN FEAR GOING TO
SCHOOL, A PLACE WHERE YOU
SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND LEARN.
SO I THINK THAT WHEN THE
TERRORISTS HAPPENED AT THE
WORLD TRADE CENTER, I DON'T
THINK THAT IT WAS A POINT OF
SURPRISE.
I THINK IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW,
ANOTHER DAY WHERE YOU HAVE TO
ONCE AGAIN LIVE IN FEAR.
AND AS UNFORTUNATE AS IT IS,
IT'S JUST THE REALITY THAT
ESPECIALLY TEENAGERS HAVE TO
DEAL WITH.
THINGS LIKE THIS ARE GOING TO
HAPPEN EVERY DAY, AND WITH THE
SOCIETY CHANGING SO MUCH AND
OUR GENERATION BECOMING SO
DIFFERENT, SO COMPLEX, I THINK
THAT IT'S JUST ANOTHER THING
THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
GET PAST, AND I DON'T KNOW IF
NECESSARILY WE SHOULD LOOK
FORWARD TO A BETTER FUTURE,
BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY
KNOW IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A
BETTER FUTURE, AND I THINK
THAT THAT IS WHAT TEENAGERS
ARE FALLING TO UNDERSTAND --
ARE FAILING TO UNDERSTAND,
I'M SORRY.
>> Michael: CHRISTINA, TELL ME
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE
LARGER COMMUNITY CAN HELP THE
FAMILY CREATE A FEELING OF
SAFETY?
BECAUSE THAT ULTIMATELY IS
WHAT A FAMILY DOES FOR ITS
CHILDREN AS THE FIRST THING,
IS TO CREATE A FEELING OF
SAFETY.
SO HOW DOES THE REST OF THE
COMMUNITY HELP IN THIS EFFORT?
BECAUSE WE NEED HELP.
>> I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING
IS RELATIONSHIP.
YOUNG PEOPLE NEED ADULTS IN
THEIR LIVES.
THEY NEED AS MANY ADULTS,
POSITIVE ADULT ROLE MODELS, AS
THEY CAN GET.
OUR YOUTH, FOR A LONG TIME,
HAS NOT BEEN VIEWED AS
RESOURCES.
AND IN REALITY MANY ADULTS CAN
PARTNER WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TO
CREATE SOLUTIONS WITHIN THEIR
OWN COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WE
THINK WE NEED TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD, AND YET
WHAT WE CAN DO IS TAP THE
RESOURCES, THE POTENTIAL, THE
ENERGY, THE ENTHUSIASM OF
YOUNG PEOPLE TO JUST SOLVE THE
NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEM OF THE
PARTICULAR TIME; TO WORK
TOGETHER IN INTERGENERATIONAL
PROJECTS, TO DEVELOP
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUNG
PEOPLE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ADULTS
TO REACH OUT, AND I THINK
ADULTS IN OUR SOCIETY
SOMETIMES ARE AFRAID OF OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD AT THE
YOUTH BUREAU TO CREATE THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES, BOTH THROUGH
MINI GRANTS IN WHICH YOUNG
PEOPLE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
ADULTS, CAN APPLY AND DO
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS,
COMMUNITY PLANNING IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE ALSO BROUGHT TOGETHER
ON A MONTHLY BASIS WHAT WE
CALL AN "S" NETWORK, AND THAT
IS COMMUNITIES ACROSS MONROE
COUNTY THAT SHARE THE IDEAS,
THE ACTIVITIES AND THE
PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING
ON WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN
PROMOTING SO THAT OTHERS CAN
LEARN HOW THEY CAN REACH OUT.
I THINK TAMARA'S COMMENTS ARE
BOTH SHOCKING IN SOME WAYS AS
TO HOW YOUNG PEOPLE MIGHT BE
FEELING.
AND WE AS ADULTS CAN DO SO
MUCH TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND
CARING OF THEM.
>> Michael: WHAT SHOCKS YOU
ABOUT THAT?
>> THAT THERE IS A SENSE OF
PESSIMISM, THAT THERE IS A
CONCERN THAT THE FUTURE OUT
THERE MAY NOT BE AS POSITIVE,
THAT THEY NEED THE SUPPORTIVE
ADULT TO REALIZE THAT THEY
HAVE POTENTIAL AND THE POWER
TO MAKE OUR FUTURE THE BEST
THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.
THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.
>> Michael: WE SAW, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE HAD TO DEAL WITH IT AS
WE DID YESTERDAY, THAT THE
IMAGES WERE THERE OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.
IT IS A VERY -- IT'S DIFFICULT
TO OVERCOME THOSE IMAGES AND
TRY AND TELL A YOUNG PERSON,
NO, THE FUTURE'S GOING TO BE
BETTER.
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS TO DO THAT?
WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS OF
DOING THAT AGAIN?
>> WELL, I WILL MAKE ANOTHER
COMMENT ABOUT MEDIA ALSO AND
THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN THAT
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO FORGET
IMAGES WHEN IT'S CONSTANTLY IN
FRONT OF YOU.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
MEDIA HAS NOT DONE WELL IS
PORTRAY ALL THE POSITIVE
THINGS THAT YOUTH ARE DOING IN
COMMUNITIES AND YOUTH AND
ADULTS ARE DOING TOGETHER, AND
IT IS OUR HOPE IN THE COMING
YEAR THAT AS THERE'S A NUMBER
OF BOTH AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY
GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
WORKING HOPEFULLY WITH MEDIA
TO CREATE A POSITIVE YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGN.
>> Michael: I'M A PARENT.
I HAVE A VERY SMALL CHILD.
I WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN -- I
WANT -- HE WAS BORN RIGHT
AFTER AN EVENT THAT HAS
CHANGED US.
HOW DO I GIVE HIM GUIDANCE SO
THAT HE'S GOING TO FEEL
THERE'S A FUTURE, A GOOD
FUTURE OUT THERE?
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
KNOW FROM A WHOLE WEALTH OF
RESEARCH, AND ESPECIALLY
RESEARCH ON RESILIENCE IN
CHILDREN; WHAT ARE THE FACTORS
THAT HELP CHILDREN EVEN IN THE
FACE OF ENORMOUS ADVERSITY OR
TOUGH TIMES, HELP THEM TO BE
WELL ADJUSTED AND HAVE HOPES
FOR THE FUTURE?
ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW
THAT'S A MOST POWERFUL
PROTECTIVE PATH IS A SOLID,
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH
THEIR PARENT, BOTH PARENTS
IDEALLY, OR THEIR PRIMARY
CAREGIVER.
WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THAT'S
WHERE THEIR SOURCE OF SECURITY
COMES FROM, AND CERTAINLY
PARENTS CAN BE A LIFELINE TO
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS THAT
ARE IN TURBULENT TIMES.
>> Michael: TAMARA, I WANT TO
ASK YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND,
HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT
YESTERDAY?
HOW WAS YESTERDAY FOR YOU?
>> UM, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST,
IT ALMOST FELT AS IF IT WAS
JUST A NORMAL DAY FOR ME.
I MEAN, WE HAD OUR MOMENT OF
SILENCE AT 8:46, BUT I WAS
JUST, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER
TEENAGER, JUST GOING ON WITH
THE REST OF THE DAY.
ANOTHER DAY YOU'RE AT SCHOOL.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO CLASSES.
I THINK LIKE, WITH TEENAGERS,
WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON IN
OUR LIVES, WE'RE SO
SELF-CENTERED THAT WE TEND TO
LOSE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MAJOR
EVENTS LIKE THAT, AND SO WE'RE
NOT REALLY, LIKE, PUTTING ANY
THOUGHT INTO IT.
I KNOW PERSONALLY -- IT SOUNDS
BAD, BUT I DON'T -- IT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT GOES THROUGH MY
MIND EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, OH,
WE WERE ATTACKED.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THE
WAR WAS GOING ON IN
AFGHANISTAN.
WE'RE SO UNAWARE.
WE'RE SO CONSUMED WITH OUR OWN
LIVES AND WHAT'S GOING ON THAT
-- AND IT HASN'T REALLY
RELATED TO US.
I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE IN NEW
YORK CITY, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS
BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS, SO I
PERSONALLY WASN'T AFFECTED SO
I COULDN'T RELATE TO IT;
THEREFORE I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT
IT AS MUCH, WHICH IS
UNFORTUNATE.
IT'S JUST A REALITY FOR MANY
TEENAGERS I'M SURE.
>> ACTUALLY, CAN I COMMENT ON
THAT?
>> Michael: JUST A QUICK ONE,
SURE.
>> I DON'T THINK WHAT TAMARA
IS SAYING IS A BAD THING.
I THINK IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE
WAY FOR HER TO BE DEALING WITH
THE WORLD SITUATION, AND I
THINK THE MORE THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE CAN FOCUS ON THINGS
THAT ARE WITHIN THEIR CONTROL
AND, YOU KNOW, DOING WELL AT
SCHOOL AND HAVING HEALTHY
ACTIVITIES TO BE INVOLVED IN,
THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THEIR
FOCUS NEEDS TO BE.
>> Michael: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ALL.
GOVERNMENT IN NEW YORK STATE
AND ROCHESTER REGION FELT THE
RIPPLE EFFECTS OF SEPTEMBER
11.
HOW DOES THIS EVENT
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE
DYNAMIC BETWEEN PUBLIC SERVANT
AND THOSE BEING SERVED?
"NEED TO KNOW'S" MATT CUMMINGS
SAT DOWN WITH REPUBLICAN
ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER PETER
QUINN AND ASKED HOW THE VOTING
PARTICIPATION HAS CHANGED.
>> WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT, GOING
INTO THE GENERAL ELECTION,
THAT WE WOULD SEE A LARGE
INCREASE.
WE DID NOT -- WE SAW SOME
INCREASE.
WE WERE PLEASED WITH THAT.
AND YET IT WASN'T SOMETHING
THAT SENT IT UP OVER THE PATH
THAT PEOPLE FELT THIS WAS THE
THING THAT WE HAD TO DO TO
PLAY OUR ROLE.
I THINK PEOPLE DID A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO HELP,
BE IT BLOOD DRIVES, BE IT
PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT,
BE IT ANYTHING THAT THEY FELT
THEY COULD DO TO HELP.
WHEN YOU THINK OF ALL THE
THINGS THAT GO ON IN
SOMEBODY'S LIFE THAT THEY
COULD PUT IN THE COLUMN OF "WE
PLAYED A ROLE IN OUR
GOVERNMENT; WE PLAYED A ROLE
IN OUR CIVIC PRIDE TO DO IT,"
VOTING, WE LIKE TO THINK, IS
THE ONLY ONE, BUT I THINK IT
WAS ONE OF MANY.
BUT I THINK OVERALL THERE WAS
PROBABLY A GOOD UPSWING; AND
YET BETWEEN VOLUNTEERISM,
BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS HAVING
ACCESS TO PEOPLE THAT WANTED
TO HELP AND WANTED TO PROVIDE
A SERVICE, BUT I DON'T THINK
VOTING WAS THE ONLY ONE.
I THINK WE ALL RECEIVED
SOMEWHAT OF A BUMP, BUT IT
WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS OVER
THE TOP ON EVERYTHING.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE
WHERE, YES, EVERYBODY MOVES
ON.
WE WILL GO BACK INTO OUR
DAY-TO-DAY ROUTINE.
WE WILL PROCESS ELECTIONS.
EVERYONE GOES BACK TO THEIR
BUSINESS.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A SENSE OF
IMPORTANCE IN THE VOTERS OUT
THERE IN MONROE COUNTY AND
THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND
COUNTRY.
THEY MAY NOT COME OUT 100%
TURNOUT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
ALWAYS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE.
WE STRIVE TO GET AS MANY
PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROCESS AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I THINK THE VOTERS WHO DO
PARTICIPATE MAY TAKE A
DIFFERENT LOOK AND A NEW LOOK
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT ALL
OF OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED
BECAUSE OF THIS, AND THE
VOTING PROCESS, THE RIGHT TO
VOTE BEING ONE OF THE MOST
SINGLE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS WE
HAVE AS U.S. CITIZENS.
TO ME THE NUMBERS HOPEFULLY DO
GO UP, PEOPLE PARTICIPATE
MORE, AND YET I THINK EVEN NO
MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW LARGE
THEY GO UP, I THINK PEOPLE
WILL REALLY HAVE A DIFFERENT
FEELING GOING INTO THE VOTING
MACHINE AND INTO A VOTING
BOOTH, TALKING WITH THEIR
NEIGHBORS.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF A
COMMUNITY SPIRIT, AND I'M
HOPING THAT TRANSLATES TO MORE
PARTICIPATION.
(Music)
>> Michael: CONVERSATION
BEGINS ANEW WITH THREE NEW
PANELISTS HERE.
WE HAVE RICK HANNON, THE
CITY'S FORMER BUDGET DIRECTOR
AND ASSISTANT TO THE MAYOR;
GARY PENCE, THE COUNTY'S
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY; AND
NANCY BENNETT, THE COUNTY
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HEALTH.
AND, Mr. HANNON, WE HEARD
Mr. QUINN TALK ABOUT HOW
THINGS MAY HAVE CHANGED IN
TERMS OF THE VOTING
PARTICIPATION, BUT I WOULD
LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW IT'S CHANGED FOR
GOVERNMENT AND WHAT GOVERNMENT
PROVIDES TO THE PEOPLE AFTER
9/11.
WE KNOW THAT THE BUDGETS HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED UP AND DOWN,
FROM THE STATE DOWN AS WELL AS
THE MUNICIPALITIES FROM WHAT
HAS OCCURRED.
HOW WILL GOVERNMENT SERVICES
CHANGE FOR PEOPLE?
>> I THINK ONE OF THE INITIAL
REACTIONS A YEAR AGO WAS THAT
THERE WAS NO COST TOO HIGH TO
BE BORNE BY SECURITY AND
SERVICES.
THE REALITY IS AT SOME POINT
THERE IS A COST THAT'S TOO
HIGH.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR US
IS TO DO THAT CALCULATION AND
MAKE THE BEST JUDGMENT WE CAN
ABOUT WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE
AND SECURITY WE CAN PROVIDE
WITHOUT BEING OVERLY
BURDENSOME IN TERMS OF ASKING
FOR HIGHER TAXES AND THINGS OF
THAT SORT.
IT'S A DIFFICULT CALCULATION.
>> Michael: AND YET PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO WANT MORE SECURITY.
THEY'RE GOING TO WANT MORE
SAFETY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A DEMAND
FOR THAT.
>> AND THERE ALSO HAS TO BE A
REALIZATION THAT THERE'S
PROBABLY NO AMOUNT OF MONEY
THAT WE COULD SPEND THAT WOULD
PROVIDE ABSOLUTE SECURITY AND
THAT IT FRANKLY DOES COME DOWN
TO A PRETTY HARD, COLD
CALCULATION.
THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THIS
MORNING'S PAPER WHERE NORMAN
MAILER TRIED TO DO THE MATH ON
WHAT PRICE -- OR WHAT THE ODDS
WERE IN TERMS OF SECURITY, AND
I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND
REPEAT HIS MATH.
IT WAS, I THOUGHT, SOMEWHAT
INSENSITIVE.
BUT THAT'S THE REALITY.
WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND
LIMITED ABILITIES, AND THE
CHALLENGE IS TO TRY AND
DELIVER THE BEST SERVICE AT
THE MOST APPROPRIATE COST.
>> Gary: JUST LET ME ASK I
GUESS A RATHER STRAIGHTFORWARD
QUESTION: WE HAD A YEAR NOW TO
WORK ON BEING BETTER PREPARED.
ARE WE BETTER PREPARED AND IN
WHAT WAYS?
>> I THINK IF YOU WATCH SOME
OF THE EVENTS, THE POLICE,
FIRE, E.M.S. RESPONSES TO THE
DISASTER IN NEW YORK CITY, ONE
OF THE THINGS YOU SAW WAS THE
IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION
SHARING BETWEEN OUR
RESPONDERS.
THIS COMMUNITY WAS FORTUNATE
THAT WE HAD A TERRORISM PLAN
IN PLACE, STATE-OF-THE-ART
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.
DURING THE PAST YEAR, WHAT
WE'VE DONE IS BUILD UPON THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS.
AT A PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING
FACILITY THAT OPENED UP WITH A
NEW EMERGENCY OPERATION
CENTER, A NEW HAZ-MAT TRUCK ON
THE STREET; BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY WE'VE BROUGHT
FIRE, E.M.S. AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT TOGETHER FOR
NUMEROUS MEETINGS TO TRAIN ON
OUR PLANS, AND WE'VE
INCORPORATED THEM INTO THE
HAZ-MAT RESPONSE; WHERE BEFORE
WE DIDN'T HAVE TOX MEDICS; WE
DIDN'T HAVE OUR HAZ-MAT TEAM
TRAINING WITH THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT BOMB SQUADS AND
THE SWAT TEAMS, AND WE DIDN'T
HAVE THE LEVEL OF
COMMUNICATION IN PLACE THAT I
THINK THIS EVENT HAS BROUGHT
ABOUT.
THIS COMMUNITY'S VERY
UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE ONE
PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT
AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY FOR
POLICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
E.M.S. TO COMMUNITY ON OUR
RADIO SYSTEMS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY WE HAVE THOSE
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND
WE'RE BUILDING ON THEM.
>> Michael: Dr. BENNETT, I'D
LIKE TO ASK YOU THE SAME
QUESTION IF I COULD.
YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THE
ANTHRAX SCARE, RIGHT, A MONTH,
MONTH AND A HALF LATER.
WHERE ARE WE NOW IN ROCHESTER
IN TERMS OF BEING PREPARED?
>> I THINK I WOULD HAVE TO
ECHO WHAT Mr. PENCE IS SAYING.
IT REALLY IS A VERY SIMILAR
SITUATION IN THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS THAT WE
WERE RELATIVELY WELL PREPARED,
AND WHEN THE ANTHRAX SITUATION
ERUPTED, AND ALSO BEFORE
SEPTEMBER 11th, WE HAD FAIRLY
GOOD COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN
PLACE AND WE HAD DONE SOME
PLANNING.
HOWEVER THERE WERE LOTS OF
THINGS WE HAD NOT ADDRESSED
YET AND THERE WERE LOTS OF
SORT OF COMMUNICATION KINDS OF
ISSUES THAT WE REALLY GOT TO
GET IN LINE.
FOR EXAMPLE WE JUST HADN'T
WORKED TOGETHER AS MUCH WITH
PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I THINK
THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
REALLY SHORE UP THAT KIND OF
COMMUNICATION.
IN ADDITION, AT THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, SO MUCH OF WHAT WE
DO, WE DO TO STAY OUT OF THE
NEWS.
REALLY MUCH OF WHAT WE DO IS
BEHIND THE SCENES.
YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT US SO
LONG AS THINGS ARE GOING WELL.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED I THINK
DURING SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
OF LAST YEAR WAS HOW TO REALLY
STEP OUT A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE
IT OBVIOUS TO THE COMMUNITY
THAT WE WERE THERE, THAT WE
WERE SURVEILLING THE HELP OF
THIS COMMUNITY AND BEING SURE
TO PROTECT THE HELP OF THIS
COMMUNITY.
>> Michael: THE STATE TOOK A
HIT.
I DON'T MEAN TO BRING IT TO
COLD, HARD NUMBERS, BUT YOU
CAN'T HELP IT SOMETIMES WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET.
THE STATE TOOK A HIT FROM
THIS, AN ECONOMIC HIT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO SATISFY
THESE NEW DEMANDS?
HOW ARE WE GOING TO START TO
REPRIORITIZE?
WE'VE SEEN THE CITY DEALING
WITH THE BUDGET DEFICIT; WE'VE
SEEN THE COUNTY DEALING WITH
THE BUDGET DEFICIT, AND THE
STATE PROBABLY WILL AS WELL.
HOW DO WE -- WHEN DOES IT
BEGIN, HOW DOES IT BEGIN, THIS
REPRIORITIZATION?
HAVE WE GONE FAR ENOUGH DOWN
THE ROAD?
>> IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION.
THE ROAD REAPPEARS EVERY YEAR
AND IT'S A NEW CHALLENGE EVERY
YEAR.
HERE IN MONROE COUNTY, BOTH
THE CITY OF ROCHESTER AND THE
COUNTY ARE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON
FUNDING FROM NEW YORK STATE
AND, AS YOU SAY, THE STATE
TOOK A HORRIBLE BLOW.
AND THERE WAS A REASONABLE
REDIRECTION OF RESOURCES OUT
OF NEW YORK CITY, AND I DON'T
THINK ANYONE QUARRELS WITH THE
APPROPRIATENESS OF THAT.
WHAT IT DOES, ON A LOCAL
LEVEL, IS MAKE US LOOK AT WHAT
IS IMPORTANT AND WHAT LEVEL OF
SERVICE WE THINK MUST BE
PROVIDED.
SOME THINGS THAT ARE DESIRABLE
DO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE.
TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE
PRESERVE THE ESSENTIALS AND
LEARN TO DO WITHOUT SOME OTHER
THINGS.
AND IT'S NEVER PLEASANT.
>> Michael: Dr. BENNETT, WE'RE
SEEING THE REORGANIZATION IN
MONROE COUNTY AS THEY DEAL
WITH THEIR BUDGET SITUATION.
SHOULD PEOPLE BE WORRIED, OH,
YOU KNOW, WE NEED MORE.
WE NEED HELP.
WE NEED -- WHEN WE ALSO HEAR
THAT OUR BUDGETS ARE BEING
STRAINED AND WE HAVE TO CUT
BACK, HOW CAN YOU ASSURE
PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE
FINE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
THERE FOR YOU?
>> I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IS SOME POSITIVE ASSETS
IN SOME AREAS AND SOME VERY
NEGATIVE ASSETS IN OTHER
AREAS.
I THINK THAT WE KIND OF CAN'T
TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING AT ONCE.
CERTAINLY IN THE AREA OF
PREPAREDNESS AND PROTECTION OF
THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY
WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE
ASSETS NOW THAN WE HAD A YEAR
AGO.
THERE'S DEFINITELY A
CONSENSUS, I THINK, THAT
THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO
STRENGTHEN OUR RESOURCES AND,
AS A RESULT, WE HAVE GOTTEN
FUNDING AND ALSO HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DEVELOP SOME PROGRAMS.
THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WHERE
CLEARLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
SOME CUTBACKS AND WE'RE
STRUGGLING TO PRIORITIZE THOSE
AREAS AND MAKE THOSE AREAS AS
EFFICIENT AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY
BE AND TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN
MAINTAIN AT LEAST A BASELINE
OF SERVICES THAT WILL BE
APPROPRIATE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>> Michael: Mr. PENCE, WE HAVE
ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.
ARE PEOPLE -- DO YOU THINK THE
PUBLIC IS SEEING A RENEWED
APPRECIATION FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY?
>> I CERTAINLY HAVE
EXPERIENCED MORE INTEREST IN
WHAT WE DO WITH OUR EMERGENCY
PLANNING AND EMERGENCY
RESPONSES.
AS RICK POINTED OUT, THIS IS A
VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR ALL OF
US WITH THE BUDGET SITUATIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS
VERY HEALTHY THAT'S COMING OUT
OF THE PROCESS IS IT'S FORCING
ALL OF US TO COLLABORATE MORE
WITH DIFFERENT AREAS TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS
IN PLACE TO UTILIZE OUR
RESOURCES AS EFFECTIVELY AS
POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE THOSE
CRITICAL SERVICES.
I THINK THE TOX IS ONE EXAMPLE
OF E.M.S. COMING TOGETHER WITH
THE HAZ-MAT TEAM, IN
PARTNERSHIPS WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND OUR
COMMUNICATION NETWORK.
WE HAVE A HISTORY OF
PARTNERING TOGETHER WITH THE
CITY HERE AND THE TOWNS,
LEARNING HOW TO SHARE THESE
RESOURCES TO DO THE JOB
TOGETHER, AND WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO CONTINUE WORKING LIKE
THAT.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THE
COMMUNITY INTO THIS
PARTNERSHIP AND HAVE THEM WORK
WITH US TO MAINTAIN THE
VIGILANCE AND TO MAINTAIN THE
INTERESTS SO WE CAN GET THIS
JOB DONE TOGETHER TO BE SAFE.
>> Michael: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUTPOURING OF VOLUNTEERISM WAS
EVIDENT AFTER 9/11.
HOW HAS THAT CONTINUED IN THE
WEEKS AND MONTHS FOLLOWING THE
ATTACKS?
FIRST LET'S HEAR FROM ONE
PERSON ON THE FRONT LINE,
ELAINE SPAULL, DIRECTOR FOR
THE CENTER FOR YOUTH WHICH
AIDS POOR CHILDREN.
>> ROCHESTERIANS HAVE THE
GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT AND
GENEROSITY OF ACTION, AND I
THINK THAT EXPRESSED ITSELF
DURING THIS TRAGEDY.
HERE AT THE CENTER, WE FELT
THAT GENEROSITY WHEN WE ASKED,
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY KEY;
AND WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, WILL PEOPLE STEP UP?
PEOPLE WILL STEP UP WHEN YOU
ASK.
ROCHESTERIANS ARE GENEROUS.
BUT MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO
FRAME FOR THEM THE BEST WAY TO
USE THEIR SKILLS, THE BEST
WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO WE PUT A CALL OUT FOR FOOD
AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.
WE GET HAMS AND TURKEYS AND
OTHER THINGS.
WE PUT A CALL OUT FOR HOUSING
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE GOT A RESPONSE THROUGH A
COLUMN THAT WAS IN THE PAPER
AND A STORY ON TV.
WE GOT EIGHT OR TEN FAMILIES
WHO CAME FORWARD AND SAID I
WANT TO BE A HOST HOME FOR THE
CENTER FOR YOUTH.
AND THESE ARE NON-COMPENSATED.
THESE ARE PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU
AND ME WHO OPEN THEIR HOMES
AND GET CERTIFIED BY THE
STATE.
THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS, AND THEY
STEPPED UP.
I THINK THAT RESPONSIVENESS
WAS PARTLY DUE TO PEOPLE
WANTING TO BE GENEROUS IN A
VERY FOCUSED AND TARGETED WAY.
WE CONTINUED TO ASK.
THEY CONTINUED TO RESPOND.
WE DID SEE A CONTINUING
CHARITABLENESS AMONGST THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE OUR FRIENDS.
WE THINK WE HAVE TO DO THE
ASKING.
WE HAVE TO KEEP ASKING IN VERY
TARGETED WAYS.
SOME PEOPLE CAN GIVE MONEY.
SOME PEOPLE CAN GIVE TIME.
SOME PEOPLE CAN GIVE IN-KIND
GIFTS.
SOME PEOPLE CAN GIVE SERVICE.
YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR IT ALL;
AND WHEN YOU ASK, PEOPLE STEP
UP.
(Music)
>> Michael: OUR CONVERSATION
BEGINS AGAIN WITH NEW
PANELISTS.
WE HAVE ELLEN CONNOR, MANAGER
OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES FOR THE
CATHOLIC FAMILY CENTER; SCOTT
BENJAMIN OF THE SALVATION
ARMY; ED RILEY, THE COUNTY'S
FIRE COORDINATOR.
Ms. O'CONNOR, I WANT TO ASK
YOU IF YOU ARE SEEING A SURGE
IN VOLUNTEERISM SINCE A YEAR
AGO.
>> WELL, THE TREND THAT WE SAW
WAS THAT, INITIALLY AFTER THE
EVENT, THAT A LOT OF RESOURCES
AND MONEY WERE DIRECTED TOWARD
NEW YORK CITY IN RESPONSE TO
9/11.
IT DIDN'T TAKE VERY LONG,
THOUGH, FOR PEOPLE TO AGAIN
REFOCUS ON THEIR COMMUNITY.
AT CATHOLIC FAMILY CENTER, WE
HAVEN'T SEEN A TREMENDOUS
INCREASE IN VOLUNTEERISM; BUT
WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE OTHER
ISSUES THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS
DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, IT
EITHER HAS MAINTAINED A LEVEL
IN VOLUNTEERISM OR GIVING TO
PREVIOUS YEARS OR TO SEE A
SLIGHT INCREASE.
I THINK IT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD
THING.
AS MISS SPAULL WAS SAYING IN
HER INTRO THERE, THIS
COMMUNITY IS INCREDIBLY
RESPONSIVE.
WHEN WE APPROACHED THE
COMMUNITY AND ASKED, WHEN WE
MAKE KNOWN THE NEEDS THAT
THERE ARE, THIS COMMUNITY DOES
RESPOND.
AND I HAVE SEEN THAT THAT
HASN'T CHANGED, AND I THINK
THIS COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO
RESPOND TO THE NEEDS THAT WE
COMMUNICATE.
>> Michael: BENJAMIN, YOU
KNOW, I READ IN THE PAPER THE
OTHER DAY... WROTE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT SORT OF THE RISE AND
THEN THE FALL OF VOLUNTEERISM.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE BOOK
"BOWLING ALONE" AND THAT
PEOPLE NEED TO REACH OUT TO
EACH OTHER, HELP EACH OTHER.
DO YOU AGREE THAT WE SAW A BIT
OF A RISE AND THEN A BIT OF A
DROP IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S
RESPONSE IN THAT WAY IN TERMS
OF VOLUNTEERISM?
>> WE SAW AN INITIAL VERY
LARGE SPIKE IN THE PEOPLE THAT
WANTED TO VOLUNTEER, AND IT
CARRIED THROUGH THE FALL LAST
YEAR INTO THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY
SEASON, WHICH IS THE TIME FOR
THE SALVATION ARMY We TEND TO
HAVE THE MOST VOLUNTEERS.
IT LEVELED OFF DURING THIS
YEAR, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING TO SEE IS HOW MANY OF
THE PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEERED
LAST HOLIDAY SEASON ARE GOING
TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE TO
PARTICIPATE.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
GOTTEN INVOLVED AND SOME WHO
INITIALLY RESPONDED BECAUSE
THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING
TIED TO 9/11 ARE VERY
PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR
INVOLVEMENT AND HAVE --
PERHAPS THEY'RE INVOLVED TO
SOME LEVEL THAT THEY'VE
INCREASED THE LEVEL OF THE
ACTIVITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
KEEP IN MIND, EVEN AS SOME OF
THE MASSES MAY HAVE DROPPED
BACK INTO PREVIOUS HABITS.
>> Michael: Mr. RILEY, I SPOKE
WITH A FEW VOLUNTEER FIRE AND
AMBULANCE DEPARTMENTS THAT
DEPEND ON VOLUNTEERS,
COMMUNITIES THAT NEED THESE
VOLUNTEERS.
SOME HAVE SAID "WE'RE DOING
GREAT."
SOME HAVE SAID "I CAN'T
BELIEVE WE'RE NOT DOING VERY
WELL AT ALL AFTER THIS."
WHAT IS YOUR SENSE ABOUT HOW
THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE
COUNTY HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST
YEAR?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I AM IN A
POSITION WHERE I SEE THE BIG
PICTURE IN THE COUNTY FROM A
POINT OF BRINGING VOLUNTEERS
IN BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING
PROGRAM WE RUN, AND WE DO
TRAIN ALL THE VOLUNTEERS IN
THE COUNTY THROUGH OUR
TRAINING CENTER.
WE SAW, AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th,
WE SAW ABOUT A 15% INCREASE,
WHICH REALLY SURPRISED US IN
THE SENSE THAT WE WEREN'T SURE
WHAT TO EXPECT BASED ON WHAT
HAD HAPPENED AND WHETHER
PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO
DO THE OPPOSITE.
SO WE WERE -- I WON'T SAY
DELIGHTED IS THE BEST WORD TO
CHOOSE, BUT WE WERE ENCOURAGED
BY THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WAS
VERY CAUTIOUS TO FIND OUT WHY
PEOPLE WERE VOLUNTEERING; AND
WE DID, IN THE BEGINNING
STAGES OF OUR RECRUIT PROGRAM,
TALK TO THE NEW RECRUITS AND
MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHY
THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING, WHAT
THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING FOR.
BUT THROUGH YOUR QUESTION, THE
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT
BENEFITTED, IT WAS NOT A ONE
SIDE OF THE COUNTY OR ONE
TOWN.
IT SEEMED TO BE ACROSS THE
BOARD, AND SOME COMMUNITIES
SEEMED TO BE MORE EXCITED
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AND SOME
DID NOT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF
DIFFERENT REASONS WHY IT MAY
HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE DID SEE
AN INCREASE.
AND ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO
KEEP IN MIND WITH THAT IS IT'S
VERY EXPENSIVE TO TRAIN
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS,
BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
(Chuckling)
WE HAVE ABOUT A 2,000, $3,000
COST, AND WE TAKE THAT WITH,
YOU KNOW, THE SAME APPROACH
FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT.
WE'RE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT
RETAINING PEOPLE, AND I DON'T
MEAN MORE CONCERNED BUT WE TRY
TO KEEP THE PEOPLE WE HAVE.
BUT I REALLY DIDN'T SEE A
FORMULA FOR BRINGING PEOPLE IN
IN ONE AREA VERSUS THE OTHER.
IT JUST SIMPLY HAPPENED.
>> Michael: Ms. O'CONNOR, YOU
TALKED ABOUT THESE OTHER
PRESSURES.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT IS THE ECONOMIC
PRESSURES AND SOME OF THE
BUDGETARY PRESSURES.
HOW DO WE -- YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE THINGS I THINK THAT WE
WANTED TO LOOK AT WHEN WE
LOOKED AT 9/11 IS IS THERE --
FOR SUCH A HORRIFIC ACT, IS
THERE A SILVER LINING?
IS THERE A SILVER LINING HERE
THAT WE COULD GET WHERE WE TRY
AND TELL PEOPLE COME TOGETHER,
YOU KNOW, HELP OUT.
>> RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE SILVER
LINING, THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE
WILLING NOW TO CONNECT WITH
OTHERS, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH
RELIGION, AS OUR RELIGION
PANEL TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS
THAT CAN HAPPEN TO AFFECT THE
VIEW THAT YOUTH HAVE ON THEIR
FUTURE IS TO EMPOWER THEM TO
KNOW THAT THEY CAN AFFECT
THEIR SMALL COMMUNITY, THAT
THEY ARE ABLE TO MAKE SOME
REAL CHANGES BUT THAT THEY'RE
SMALL, AND IT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN IN A HOMELESS SHELTER
OR IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE
SENIOR CENTER PROGRAM, BUT
THEY CAN DO SOMETHING THAT IS
GOING TO AFFECT THE WORLD IN A
POSITIVE WAY.
I THINK THE FACT THAT PEOPLE
HAVE RECOGNIZED FROM THIS
EVENT THAT WE ARE NOT ISOLATED
INDIVIDUALS; WE ARE AMERICANS,
BUT WE ARE ALSO WORLD CITIZENS
AND THAT WE CAN TAKE ACTION.
WE ARE EMPOWERED TO TAKE
ACTION TO BE ABLE TO AFFECT
OUR WORLD IN A POSITIVE WAY.
AND I THINK THAT REALIZATION
IS THE SILVER LINING.
>> TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I
THINK THAT'S WHERE IT BECOMES
INCUMBENT ON GROUPS AND
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS TO
REMEMBER THAT MAYBE 9/11
SPARKED SOME PEOPLE TO LOOK
OUT AND TO REACH OUT AND
FRIEND VOLUNTEER, BUT IT'S UP
TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY
HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCES AND THAT
THEY ARE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO
THE COMMUNITY AND HELP.
WE CAN'T SIT BACK AND JUST
SAY, WELL, PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE
VOLUNTEERING AND LEAVE IT AT
THAT.
WE HAVE TO NURTURE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS, AND THAT HELPS
PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN THEIR
COMMUNITY AND IT TIES INTO ALL
THE OTHER THINGS WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY TO MAKE IT
A BETTER COMMUNITY.
>> Michael: DO YOU SEE MORE OF
A GETTING TOGETHER AMONG
VOLUNTEER GROUPS?
ELAINE SPAULL TALKED A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WE'VE GOT TO GO OUT
AND SAY HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN
DO.
HERE'S YOUR SKILLS.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO.
HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING MORE
COMMUNICATION OVER THE LAST
YEAR, DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK SO.
IT'S FORCED US TO LOOK AT
THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
AND IT'S -- THE OTHER PIECES
OF THIS, WHEN WE GOT INTO
TALKING ABOUT BUDGETS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, MAKES IT A
REALITY THAT WE ALL HAVE TO
LOOK AT VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.
AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING FOR
US TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS IN
SOME WAYS AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE DO REACH OUT TO THESE
PEOPLE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY SO
THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED.
>> Michael: WELL, WE HAVE A
FEW MINUTES LEFT, AND I WOULD
LIKE TO THROW OUT A QUESTION
TO EVERYONE.
IT WAS A QUESTION THAT I KIND
OF POSED A LITTLE BIT HERE.
IT SOUNDS ALMOST ABSURD TO SAY
IS THERE A SILVER LINING OUT
OF SUCH A HORRIFIC EVENT?
BUT IS THERE?
AND YOU CAN ANSWER THAT FROM
YOUR OWN VANTAGE POINT IF YOU
LIKE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND AND
SAY AMERICA IS AN ASTOUNDING
COUNTRY.
WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE
GREATEST RESPONSES OF HUMAN
BEINGS IN THIS PAST YEAR, AND
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN TROUBLED AND
CHALLENGED BY WHAT IS BEFORE
US.
THERE IS AN ETHICAL AND MORAL
DILEMMA THAT WE MUST FACE, AND
THAT IS THAT THERE IS NO
MORAL... THE ACTS THAT HAVE
BEEN DONE TO THIS COUNTRY.
THOUGH WE MAY TRY TO SEE OR
ATTEMPT TO ASSUME THAT THERE
IS SOME LEVEL OF AMERICAN
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, THIS
IS MUCH LARGER THAN THAT.
THIS IS ABOUT THE CLASH OF
CULTURE AND THE CLASH OF WORLD
SOCIETIES.
THE ATTACK ON AMERICA WAS AN
ATTACK ON WESTERN VALUES AND
WESTERN PERCEPTIONS, AND WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
THERE IS EVIL IN THE WORLD AND
WE'VE BEEN RELATIVIZING THAT,
AND WE NEED TO ONCE AGAIN COME
BACK TO GROUND ZERO, TO A
COMMUNITY THAT UNDERSTANDS ITS
VALUES, ITS IMPORTANCE AND ITS
PLACE.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DO
THAT WITHOUT COMPASSION AND
WITHOUT AN AWARENESS OF THE
DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD.
>> I WANT JUST TO ELABORATE ON
THAT.
I THINK WHAT THE YOUTH -- THE
STUDENTS SAID, I THINK WE NEED
TO THINK OVER THAT.
I THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM,
AND THAT PROBLEM IS DOMESTIC
ALSO AS WE SAW IT IN COLUMBINE
SCHOOL INCIDENT, YOU KNOW, AND
ALSO OKLAHOMA, AND THERE IS
THE FOREIGN TERROR ALSO.
HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT, I THINK
WE NEED TO EDUCATE ON ALL
LEVELS, ON THE CHILDREN LEVEL,
YOUTH LEVEL AND COLLEGE
STUDENTS LEVEL AND THE ADULT
LEVEL.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE,
ESPECIALLY FROM A RELIGIOUS
PERSPECTIVE, TO COOL DOWN THE
EMOTIONS AMONG RELIGIONS AND
TO SEEK BETTER UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN THE YOUTH AND THE
COLLEGE STUDENTS SO THAT, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS THE FUTURE OF
AMERICA, OF ALL OF US TOGETHER
IN THIS WORLD, TO BETTER
EDUCATE THEM ABOUT WORLD
RELIGIONS, AND THERE ARE SOME
SPECIAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE
TAKING.
I WOULD LIKE THAT EACH SCHOOL
SHOULD TEACH, LIKE I THINK
BRIGHTON HAS STARTED THE WORLD
RELIGION COLLAPSE.
ALSO THERE ARE MOVIES
AVAILABLE THAT COULD SHOW ALL
FAITHS TOGETHER FOR THE
STUDENTS, SO THEY SEE THE
DIVERSITY OF RELIGION.
LIKE ALSO THEY SHOULD SEE THE
DIVERSITY OF COLOR, SO THEY
ARE ACCOMMODATED TO THAT AND
THEY SEE HOW THE WORLD IS
DIVERSE.
AT THE SAME TIME, I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE THAT THE RELIGIOUS
STUDIES DEPARTMENT IN EACH AND
EVERY COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY,
THAT SENTINEL, AND THERE ARE
ELABORATE COURSES ON WORLD
RELIGION.
I THINK IF WE DO SO, WE WILL
PREPARE OUR NEXT GENERATION
ESPECIALLY FROM A RELIGIOUS
PERSPECTIVE TO UNDERSTAND THE
WORLD RELIGION, FAITH
PERSPECTIVE, AND TO BE ABLE TO
ACCOMMODATE ONE ANOTHER, TO
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AND LIVE
TOGETHER AS ONE COMMUNITY.
>> Michael: PLEASE.
>> I THINK AS FAR AS OUR YOUTH
ARE CONCERNED, I COULDN'T
AGREE MORE, AND I WOULD JUST
WANT TO EMPHASIZE, I THINK WE
ALL AGREE THAT HATRED IS BORNE
OUT OF FEAR AND IGNORANCE, AND
THE MORE WE CAN OFFER
OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR YOUTH TO
UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE'S
POINTS OF VIEW AND RELIGION,
THE MORE WE CAN BE HEADING
DOWN A PATH TOWARD PEACE.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE A VERY
QUICK STORY THAT SOMEONE TOLD
ME.
SHE WANTED TO GO TO GROUND
ZERO.
SHE WAS VISITING NEW YORK.
ASKED THE CAB DRIVER TO TAKE
HER.
THE CAB DRIVER, WHO WAS
MUSLIM, SAID "WHY DO YOU WANT
TO GO TO GROUND ZERO?"
THE WOMAN, WHO WAS CHRISTIAN,
SAID "I WANT TO GO TO PRAY."
HE SAID "I'LL GO WITH YOU."
AND THEY PRAYED ALONGSIDE EACH
OTHER AT GROUND ZERO, AND HE
RETURNED HER TO HER HOTEL;
DIDN'T CHARGE HER FOR HER TAXI
RIDE.
AND THAT'S A STORY I LIKE TO
SHARE WITH YOUTH AND ONE THAT
I THINK CAN GIVE A MESSAGE OF
SOME HOPE.
>> Michael: ISN'T THAT THE
SILVER LINING?
IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET ME TAKE
A MINUTE OR TWO IF I CAN TO
COME OVER HERE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT A COUPLE
MINUTES LEFT.
WHERE ARE WE GOING IN THE NEXT
12 MONTHS IN TERMS OF
PROTECTION, IN TERMS OF HEALTH
PROTECTION?
>> PUBLIC SAFETY, AS NANCY
BENNETT MENTIONED, FOR THE
THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED,
WE'VE HAD MORE PARTNERSHIP AND
TRAINING WITH A VARIETY OF
AGENCIES BESIDES LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE AND
E.M.S..
WE'VE HAD SITE TRAINING WITH
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON HOW
TO RESPOND TO BIOTERRORISM
EVENTS.
WHAT I SEE ON OUR SIDE OF THE
HOUSE IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A
PARTNERSHIP, COLLABORATION AND
BRINGING PEOPLE IN TO TRAIN
AND BE PREPARED IF ONE OF
THESE EVENTS SHOULD HAPPEN
AGAIN, GOD FORBID.
BUT HOPEFULLY WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IN OUR DEVELOPING
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION
AND UNDERSTANDING SO WE CAN
MORE EFFICIENTLY RESPOND,
HOPEFULLY THE MESSAGE THAT WAS
JUST... WE CAN SEE THAT AT A
NATIONAL LEVEL AND THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD AND ALL HAVE A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO WE
DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO
ANOTHER EVENT.
>> Michael: WE JUST HAVE ABOUT
30 SECONDS LEFT.
>> JUST REFLECT BACK ON THE
CONVERSATION THAT YOU WERE
JUST HAVING.
I THINK THAT, FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF GOVERNMENT, ONE
OF THE MAJOR ISSUES ALSO IS
HOW CAN WE BETTER SERVE PEOPLE
OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW CAN
WE HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION
WITH THE PEOPLE IN OUR
COMMUNITY?
AND WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH
WORKING MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS OR
WHETHER IT'S ENGAGING YOUTH IN
A MORE POSITIVE WAY OR WHETHER
IT'S ALSO HAVING A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE THAT
RELIGION PLAYS IN OUR
COMMUNITY.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE ASPECTS
CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A SOUND
COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK, AS PEOPLE WHO
WORK IN GOVERNMENT, WE NEED TO
BE REALLY ATTENTIVE TO THESE
ISSUES AND ALSO ASK PEOPLE TO
TRUST US A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN A WAY IN
WHICH GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN KIND
OF BAD-MOUTHED OR SEEN AS SORT
OF A PROBLEM, AND WHAT WE NEED
TO BE SAYING TO THE PUBLIC IS
WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU.
THOUGHT RATHER THAN SUBSCRIBED
SOLUTIONS.
(Music)
>> Michael: I WANT TO THANK
THOSE WHO SPOKE WITH US ON
CAMERA AND ESPECIALLY THOSE
WHO JOINED US IN STUDIO
TONIGHT.
FOR MORE ON THIS SPECIAL, YOU
CAN LOG ON TO OUR WEB SITE,
www.wxxi.org/ntk.
THERE IS STILL MUCH TO GRAPPLE
WITH ON THIS FIRST ANNIVERSARY
OF 9/11.
WE HOPE THIS PROGRAM PROVOKED
THOUGHT RATHER SUBSCRIBED
SOLUTIONS.
PERHAPS THE CLEAREST MESSAGE
TO BE SENT IS THAT, AS
ROCHESTERIANS AND AS
AMERICANS, WE OUGHT TO
MAINTAIN OUR CAPACITY TO
LISTEN, TO DISCUSS, TO TAKE
ACTION.
THANKS FOR TUNING IN.
GOOD NIGHT.