College Football Quiz (Division I-A): 1) Who holds the record
for yards rushing in a game? [Hint: 1999] 2) Most yards rushing
in a season? 3) Yards rushing career, 3-years and 4-years?
Answers below.
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, speech to UN, 10/1
On Sept. 11, 2001, New York City, the most diverse city in the
world, was viciously attacked in an unprovoked act of war.
More than 5,000 innocent men, women and children of every
race, religion and ethnicity are lost. Among these, people from
80 different nations. To their representatives here today, I offer
my condolences to you as well on behalf of all New Yorkers who
share this loss with you.
This was the deadliest attack – terrorist attack – in history. It
claimed more lives than Pearl Harbor or D-Day. This was not
just an attack on the city of New York or on the United States of
America. It was an attack on the very idea of a free, inclusive
and civil society. It was a direct assault on the founding
principles of the United Nations itself.
The preamble to the UN Charter states that this organization
exists to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the
dignity and worth of the human person, to practice tolerance and
live together in peace as good neighbors and to unite our strength
to maintain international peace and security.
Indeed, this vicious attack places in jeopardy the whole purpose
of the United Nations.
Terrorism is based on the persistent and deliberate violation of
fundamental human rights. With bullets and bombs and now
with hijacked airplanes, terrorists deny the dignity of human life.
Terrorism preys particularly on cultures and communities that
practice openness and tolerance. Their targeting of innocent
civilians mocks the efforts of those who seek to live together in
peace as neighbors. It defies the very notion of being a neighbor.
This massive attack was intended to break our spirit. It has not
done that. It”s made us stronger, more determined and more
resolved.
The bravery of our firefighters, our police officers, our
emergency workers and civilians we may never learn of, in
saving over 25,000 lives that day, and carrying out the most
effective rescue operation in our history, inspires all of us.
The determination, resolve and leadership of President George
W. Bush has unified America and all decent men and women
around the world.
And the response of many of your nations, your leaders and
people, spontaneously demonstrating in the days after the attack,
your support for New York and America and your understanding
of what needs to be done to remove the threat of terrorism gives
us great hope that we will prevail.
The strength of America”s response, please understand, flows
from the principles upon which we stand. Americans are not a
single ethnic group. Americans are not of one race or one
religion. Americans emerge from all of your nations. We”re
defined as Americans by our beliefs, not by our ethnic origins,
our race or our religion.
Our belief in religious freedom, political freedom, economic
freedom – that”s what makes an American. Our belief in
democracy, the rule of law and respect for human life. That”s
how you become an American.
It”s these very principles and the opportunities these principles
give to so many to create a better life for themselves and their
families that make America and New York a shining city on a
hill.
There”s no nation in the history of the world, and no city that has
seen more immigrants in less time than America. And people
continue to come here in large numbers to seek freedom,
opportunity, decency, civility.
Each of your nations, I”m certain, has contributed citizens to the
United States and to New York. I believe I can take every one of
you someplace in New York City and you can find someone
from your country, someone from your village or town, that
speaks your language and practices your religion. In each of
your lands, there are many who are Americans in spirit by virtue
of their commitment to our shared principles.
It”s tragic and perverse that it”s because of these very principles,
particularly our religious, political and economic freedoms, that
we find ourselves under attack by terrorists.
Our freedom threatens them because they know if our ideas of
freedom gain a foothold among their people, it will destroy their
power. So they strike out against us to keep those ideas from
reaching their people.
The best long-term deterrent and approach to terrorism,
obviously, is the spread of the principles of freedom and
democracy and the rule of law and respect for human life. The
more that spreads around the globe, the safer we will all be.
These are very, very powerful ideas and once they gain a
foothold, they cannot be stopped.
In fact, the rise that we”ve seen in terrorism and terrorist groups I
believe is in no small measure a response to the spread of these
ideas – freedom and democracy – to many nations, particularly
over the past 15 years.
The terrorists have no ideas or ideals with which to combat
freedom and democracy. So their only defense is to strike out
against innocent civilians, destroying human life in massive
numbers and hoping to deter all of us from our pursuit and
expansion of freedom.
But the long-term deterrent of spreading our ideals throughout
the world is just not enough, and may never be realized, if we do
not act, and act together, to remove the clear and present danger
posed by terrorism and terrorists.
The United Nations must hold accountable any country that
supports or condones terrorism. Otherwise, you will fail in your
primary mission as peacekeeper.
It must ostracize any nation that supports terrorism. It must
isolate any nation that remains neutral in the fight against
terrorism. Now is the time in the words of your charter, the
United Nations Charter, to unite our strength to maintain
international peace and security.
This is not a time for further study or vague directives.
The evidence of terrorism”s brutality and inhumanity, of its
contempt for life and the concept of peace is lying beneath the
rubble of the World Trade Center less than two miles from where
we meet today.
Look at that destruction, that massive, senseless, cruel loss of
human life and then I ask you to look in your hearts and
recognize that there is no room for neutrality on the issue of
terrorism. You”re either with civilization or with terrorists. On
one side is democracy, the rule of law and respect for human life.
On the other is tyranny, arbitrary executions and mass murder.
We are right and they are wrong. It”s as simple as that. And by
that I mean that America and its allies are right about democracy,
about religious, political and economic freedom. And the
terrorists are wrong, and in fact evil, in their mass destruction of
human life in the name of addressing alleged injustices.
Let those who say that we must understand the reasons for
terrorism come with me to the thousands of funerals we”re
having in New York City – thousands – and explain those insane
maniacal reasons to the children who will grow up without
fathers and mothers and to the parents who have had their
children ripped from them for no reason at all.
Instead, I ask each of you to allow me to say at those funerals
that your nation stands with America in making a solemn
promise and pledge that we will achieve unconditional victory
over terrorism and terrorists.
There”s no excuse for mass murder, just as there”s no excuse for
genocide.
Those who practice terrorism, murdering or victimizing innocent
civilians, lose any right to have their cause understood by decent
people and lawful nations.
On this issue – terrorism – the United Nations must draw a line.
The era of moral relativism between those who practice or
condone terrorism and those nations who stand up against it must
end. Moral relativism doesn”t have a place in this discussion and
debate. There”s no moral way to sympathize with grossly
immoral actions. And by so doing, and by trying to do that,
unfortunately a fertile field has been created in which terrorism
has grown.
The best and most practical way to promote peace is to stand up
to terror and intimidation.
The Security Council”s unanimous passage of Resolution 1373
adopting wide-ranging antiterrorism measures into the
international community is a very good first step. It”s necessary
to establish accountability for the subsidizing of terrorism.
As a former United States attorney, I am particularly encouraged
that the United Nations has answered President Bush”s call to cut
terrorists off from their money and their funding. It”s
enormously important.
We”ve done that successfully with organized crime groups in
America by taking away their ability to amass large amounts of
money. You take away their ability to have others carry on their
functioning for them, even if they”re removed, arrested,
prosecuted or eliminated through war or through law
enforcement. It cuts off the lifeblood of the organization. So I
believe this was a very good first step.
But now it”s up to the member states to enforce this and other
aspects of the resolution and for the United Nations to enforce
these new mechanisms to take the financial base away from the
terrorists. Take away their money, take away their access to
money, and you reduce their ability to carry out complex
missions.
Each of you sitting in this room is here because of your country”s
commitment to being part of the family of nations. We need to
unite now as a family as never before, across all of our
differences, in recognition of the fact that the United Nations
stands for the proposition that human beings have more in
common than divide us.
If you need to be reminded of this, you don”t need to look very
far. Just go outside for a walk in the streets and the parks of New
York City. You can”t walk a block or two blocks in New York
City without seeing somebody that looks different than you, acts
different than you, talks different than you, believes different
than you.
If you grow up in New York City, you learn that. And then you
learn something, if you”re an intelligent or decent person, you
learn that all those differences are nothing in comparison to the
things that unite us.
We”re a city of immigrants unlike any other city, within a nation
of immigrants.
Like the victims of the World Trade Center attack, we”re of
every race, we”re of every religion, we”re of every ethnicity.
And our diversity has been our greatest source of strength. It”s
the thing that renews us and revives us in every generation – our
openness to new people from all over the world.
So from the first day of this attack, an attack on New York, on
America, and I believe on the basic principles that underlie this
organization, I”ve told the people of New York that we should
not allow this to divide us because then we would really lose
what this city is all about.
We have a very, very strong – we have very strong and vibrant
Muslim and Arab communities in New York City. They are an
equally important part of the life of our city. We respect their
religious beliefs; we respect everyone”s religious beliefs. That”s
what America is about; that”s what New York City is all about.
I”ve urged New Yorkers not to engage in any form of group
blame or group hatred. This is exactly the evil that we”re
confronting with these terrorists. And if we”re going to prevail
over them, over terror, then our ideals and principles and values
must transcend all forms of prejudice. This is a very important
part of the struggle against terrorism.
This is not a dispute between religions or ethnic groups. All
religions, all decent people, are united in their desire to achieve
peace and understand that we have to eliminate terrorism. We”re
not divided about this.
There have been many days in New York when I was running for
mayor and since I”ve been mayor – many times when I would
have a weekend in which I would go to a mosque on a Friday
and a synagogue on a Saturday and a church, sometimes two
churches, on a Sunday. And by the time I finished, I would say
to myself, I know that we”re getting through to God. We”re
talking to him in every language that he understands; we”re using
every liturgy that exists and I know we”re getting through to the
same God. We may be doing it in slightly different ways.
God is known by many different names and many different
traditions, but identified by one consistent feeling: love. Love
for humanity; particularly love for our children. Love does
eventually conquer hate. I believe that; I”m sure you do.
But it also needs our help. Good intentions alone are not enough
to conquer evil. Remember British Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain who, armed only with good intentions, negotiated
with the Nazis and emerged hopeful that he had achieved peace
in his time. Hitler”s wave of terror was only encouraged by these
attempts at appeasement. At the cost of millions of lives, we
learned that words alone, although important, are not enough to
guarantee peace. It is action alone that counts.
For the United Nations and individual nations, decisive action is
needed to stop terrorism from ever orphaning another child.
That”s for nations.
For individuals, the most effective course of action they can take
to aid our recovery is to be determined to go ahead with their
lives.
We can”t let terrorists change the way we live. Otherwise they
will have succeeded.
In some ways the resilience of life in New York City is the
ultimate sign of defiance to terrorists. We call ourselves the
capital of the world in large part because we”re the most diverse
city in the world. And we”re the home of the United Nations. So
that spirit of unity amid all our diversity has never ever been
stronger.
On Saturday night I walked through Times Square. It was
crowded, it was bright, it was lively. Thousands of people were
visiting from all parts of the United States and all parts of the
world. And many of them came up to me and they shook my
hand and patted me on the back and said, “We”re here because
we want to show our support for the city of New York.”
And that”s why there”s never been a better time to come to New
York City. I say to people across the country and around the
world, if you were planning to come to New York sometime in
the future, come here now. Come to enjoy our thousands of
restaurants and museums and sporting events and shopping and
Broadway.
But also come to take a stand against terrorism.
We need to heed the words of a hymn that I and the police
commissioner and the fire commissioner have heard over and
over again at the many funerals and memorial services that
we”ve gone to in the last week – two weeks. The hymn begins:
Be not afraid.
Freedom from fear is a basic human right. We need to reassert
our right to live free from fear with greater confidence and
determination than ever before here in New York City, across
America and around the world. With one clear voice,
unanimously, we need to say we will not give into terrorism.
Surrounded by our friends of every faith, we know this is not a
clash of civilizations. It”s a conflict between murderers and
humanity.
This is not a question of retaliation or revenge. It”s a matter of
justice leading to peace.
The only acceptable result is the complete and total eradication
of terrorism.
New Yorkers are strong and they are resilient. We are unified
and we will not yield to terror. We do not let fear make our
decisions for us. We choose to live in freedom.
Thank you and God bless you.
—
British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Excerpts from Blair”s speech to the Labour conference, 10/3/01:
In retrospect the millennium marked only a moment in time. It
was the events of September 11 that marked a turning point in
history, where we confront the dangers of the future and assess
the choices facing humankind.
It was a tragedy. An act of evil. From this nation goes our
deepest sympathy and prayers for the victims and our profound
solidarity with the American people. We were with you at the
first. We will stay with you to the last.
Just two weeks ago, in New York, after the church service, I met
some of the families of the British victims. It was in many ways
a very British occasion. Tea and biscuits. It was raining outside.
Around the edge of the room, strangers making small talk, trying
to be normal people in an abnormal situation. And as you
crossed the room, you felt the longing and sadness, hands
clutching photos of sons and daughters, wives and husbands,
imploring you to believe them when they said there was still an
outside chance of their loved ones being found alive, when you
knew in truth that all hope was gone. And then a middle-aged
mother looks you in the eyes and tells you her only son has died,
and asks you: why? I tell you: you do not feel like the most
powerful person in the country during times like that. Because
there is no answer. There is no justification for their pain. Their
son did nothing wrong. The woman, seven months pregnant,
whose child will never know its father, did nothing wrong. They
don”t want revenge. They want something better in memory of
their loved ones.
I believe their memorial can and should be greater than simply
the punishment of the guilty. It is that out of the shadow of this
evil, should emerge lasting good: destruction of the machinery of
terrorism wherever it is found, hope among all nations of a new
beginning where we seek to resolve differences in a calm and
ordered way, greater understanding between nations and faiths
and above all prosperity for the poor and dispossessed, so that
people everywhere can see the chance of a better future through
the hard work and creative power of the free citizen, not the
violence and savagery of the fanatic.
I know that in Britain people are anxious, even a little frightened.
I understand that. People know we must act, but they worry
what might follow. They worry about the economy and talk of
recession. And, of course, there are dangers; it is a new
situation. But the fundamentals of the US, British and European
economies are strong. Every reasonable measure of internal
security is being undertaken. Our way of life is a great deal
stronger and will last a great deal longer than the actions of
fanatics, small in number and now facing a unified world against
them. People should have confidence. This is a battle with only
one outcome: our victory not theirs.
What happened on September 11 was without parallel in the
bloody history of terrorism. Within hours, up to 7,000 people
were annihilated, the commercial centre of New York was
reduced to rubble and in Washington and Pennsylvania further
death and horror on an unimaginable scale. Let no one say this
was a blow for Islam when the blood of innocent Muslims was
shed along with those of the Christian, Jewish and other faiths
around the world.
We know those responsible. In Afghanistan are scores of
training camps for the export of terror. Chief among the
sponsors and organizers is Osama bin Laden. He is supported,
shielded and given succor by the Taliban regime.
Two days before the September 11 attacks, Masood, the leader of
the opposition Northern Alliance, was assassinated by two
suicide bombers. Both were linked to bin Laden. Some may call
that coincidence. I call it payment – payment in the currency
these people deal in: blood. Be in no doubt: bin Laden and his
people organized this atrocity. The Taliban aid and abet him.
He will not desist from further acts of terror. They will not stop
helping him.
Whatever the dangers of the action we take, the dangers of
inaction are far, far greater. Look for a moment at the Taliban
regime. It is undemocratic. There is no sport allowed or
television or photography. No art or culture is permitted. All
other faiths, all other interpretations of Islam, are ruthlessly
suppressed. Those who practice their faith are imprisoned.
Women are treated in a way almost too revolting to be credible.
First driven out of university, girls not allowed to go to school,
no legal rights, unable to go out of doors without a man. Those
that disobey are stoned.
There is now no contact permitted with Western agencies, even
those delivering food. People live in abject poverty. It is a
regime founded on fear and funded by the drug trade. The
biggest drugs hoard in the world is in Afghanistan, controlled by
the Taliban. Ninety per cent of the heroin on British streets
originates in Afghanistan. The arms the Taliban are buying
today are paid for with the lives of young British people buying
their drugs on British streets. That is another part of their regime
that we should seek to destroy. So what do we do?
Don”t overreact some say. We aren”t. We haven”t lashed out.
No missiles on the first night just for effect.
Don”t kill innocent people. We are not the ones who waged war
on the innocent. We seek the guilty.
Look for a diplomatic solution. There is no diplomacy with bin
Laden or the Taliban regime.
State an ultimatum and get their response. We stated the
ultimatum; they haven”t responded.
Understand the causes of terror. Yes, we should try, but let there
be no moral ambiguity: nothing could ever justify the events of
September 11 and it is to turn justice on its head to pretend it
could. The action we take will be proportionate, targeted. We
will do all we humanly can to avoid civilian casualties.
But understand what we are dealing with. Listen to the calls of
those passengers on the planes. Think of the children on them,
told they were going to die.
Think of the cruelty beyond our comprehension as among the
screams and the anguish of the innocent, those hijackers drove at
full throttle planes laden with fuel into buildings where tens of
thousands worked. They have no moral inhibition on the
slaughter of the innocent. If they could have murdered not 7,000
but 70,000, does anyone doubt they would have done so and
rejoiced in it? There is no compromise possible with such
people, no meeting of minds, no point of understanding with
such terror. Just a choice: defeat it or be defeated by it. And
defeat it we must. Any action will be against the terrorist
network of bin Laden. As for the Taliban, they can surrender the
terrorists or face the consequences and, again, in any action the
aim will be to eliminate their military hardware, cut off their
finances, disrupt their supplies, target their troops, not civilians.
I say to the Taliban: surrender the terrorists or surrender power.
It”s your choice.
—
Man”s Best Friend
The Wall Street Journal had a story the other day explaining that
bomb-sniffing dogs go through a 17-week training program.
Their handlers then live with the dogs for the 6-8-year career.
The FAA reported that the cost to train 90 saviors of civilization
is $6 million.
Top 3 songs for the week of 9/28/63: #1 “Blue Velvet” (Bobby
Vinton) #2 “Sally Go ”Round The Roses” (The Jaynetts) #3 “Be
My Baby” (The Ronettes)
College Football Quiz Answers: 1) Yards rushing in a game:
LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU) 406 (43 carries) vs. UTEP in 1999.
[Tomlinson”s yardage per quarter was 59, 60, 121, 166.]
2) Yards rushing, season: Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State) 2,628
(344 carries, 11 games), 1988. 3) Yards rushing, career: 3-yrs. /
Herschel Walker (Georgia) 5,259. 4-yrs. / Ron Dayne
(Wisconsin) 6,397.
College Football Tidbits
–Ed Marinaro (Cornell 1969-71) still holds the record for highest
average yards per game, career…174.6.
–Emmitt Smith and Marshall Faulk hold the record for reaching
1,000 yards as a freshman in their 7th game.
–Byron “Whizzer” White (former Supreme Court Justice) was
the first player to officially gain 1,000 yards (Colorado, 1937).
Others had done it earlier but ”37 was the first year the NCAA
kept formal records.
–Archie Griffin (Ohio State 1972-75) and Tony Dorsett (Pitt
1973-76) hold the record for number of 100-yard games, 33.
[Griffin did it in 42 games; Dorsett, 43. Griffin had 31 in a row.]
–Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders hold the record for
consecutive games with 200 or more yards, five. [Allen: 210,
274, 208, 233, 211. Sanders: 320, 215, 312, 292, 332!!!!
Goodness gracious.]
Next Bar Chat, Monday….from South Dakota.
