dispatches from the new world of work

President's Day 2007 Post #1

09/11 Firefighters Monument

As we celebrate President's Day, it seems appropriate to look back at 09/11, courtesy my New Zealand trip. On 0211, we were in Christchurch, heading home. On a short walk, I spotted an odd sculpture on the street. Turns out, see above pic, that it is a tribute to 09/11's firefighters; moreover, it is made of twisted beams from the Twin Towers—sent by request to NZ's Christchurch firefighters. The next morning, on more or less the same walk, I came to realize that the memorial was but a block from the HQ of the Christchurch firefighters battalion. Though it was 6 a.m. (light in NZ!), I decided to knock on the door, figuring that the HQ would be manned 24/7. Indeed it was, and I spent an emotional 15 minutes thanking, as a U.S. visitor, the firefighter who answered the door and, via him, his colleagues for their thoughtfulness. Fact is, I was to my surprise in tears for most of the conversation—as (good God) I am as I type this. The memorial is one of just five such artifacts in the world. In 2002, Christchurch was hosting the world firefighters games (their Olympics); since they were the first such games since 09/11, Christchurch decided that a memorial was in order—and NYC cooperated, as you can see.

Commander Kurt Wendelken, SC, USN, was seconded to CENTCOM's HQ in the Middle East. We have been irregularly corresponding—which started with the tompeters.com Blog. Kurt recently honored me with a CENTCOM soldier's cap, with my name inscribed in English and Arabic. As you'll see below, I posed with the cap—photo credit to Abbey Bishop, our VT major domo. I figure it's not dishonorable for me to don the cap, in part because I was a ground fighter (builder-fighter working with the USMC) in I Corps Vietnam in 1966–68.

P-day should remind us all, regardless of present turmoil, what the 207-year-old U.S. experiment is all about.

Tom in CENTCOM cap

Tom Peters posted this on 02/18/07.

Comments

Wonderful note - thanks.

Posted by sean_usa_experiment at February 18, 2007 4:20 PM

Sean is right. Wonderful note - thanks.

Richard.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at February 18, 2007 6:24 PM

Powerful, personal and poignant - thank you.

Speaking as founder member of â€˜Moist Eyes Anonymousâ€™ I think itâ€™s wonderful we members of the supposed stronger gender can cry; talk about it; tell the world; and be proud of it.

Posted by Trevor Gay at February 18, 2007 6:37 PM

There's a brand new Randy Newman song - get over to iTunes and at least listen to the preview. He makes the point that however bad you might think President Bush is, he hardly qualifies as evil. If it sounds odd that we should quote a "pop star" on this blog, never forget that Randy is the author of "Political Science," one of the best songs ever.

Posted by Mark JF at February 19, 2007 4:23 AM

My President's Day Prayer: (a) I pray for a president that believes in human rights for all (b) I pray for a president that restores our bill of rights © I pray for a president who shuts down Abu Ghraib and all secret prisons (d) I pray for a president that makes it easy for me to raise my children as peace-loving Muslims in America (e) I pray for a president that restores the Great America I came to over 25 years ago and (f) I pray for a President who knows how to restore peace and hope in the world.

Posted by Abu Noaman at February 19, 2007 7:54 AM

abu noaman ... thanks, tom

Posted by tom peters at February 19, 2007 11:15 AM

Further confirmation of my very positive opinion on Kiwis - Great story

Posted by PaulH at February 19, 2007 11:22 AM

Good story. Thanks

Posted by goran at February 19, 2007 4:06 PM

Get Ahead Get A Hat!

Posted by patrick at February 19, 2007 5:01 PM

1. Presidential prayer/decree - worldwide Islam police itself [and pay for it - and pay back with oil revenue for radical terror against free world] to PEACE - cease sectarian/satanic violence among Kurds, Sunni, Shia - Hezbollah - Hamas - PLO - Africans - and outlaw Muslim 2nd class treatment of Muslim women ... Muslims turn in fascists that preach hate in tax shelter mosques ... rest on 7th day - have a cold Diet Snapple.

Posted by sean_faith at February 19, 2007 5:34 PM

Happy Presidents Day today and Happpy Chinese New Year yesterday!

Posted by cathy mosca at February 19, 2007 6:50 PM

"Happpy Chinese New Year yesterday!" Thanks Cathy!

Posted by tom peters at February 19, 2007 9:33 PM

"The installation," or whatever, was well spotted - a testament to curiosity? It would be interesting to know how many locals are now aware what assemblage of twisted iron beams represents? Or how many in ten or twenty years? Are there similar monuments in other places? Or, is Christchurch unique in this respect - a new Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage centre (eg refer Wikipedia) for US tourists?

Posted by wmmbb at February 21, 2007 9:52 AM