'Dubya is trampling graves of 9/11 victims'
Independent Online, South Africa - 3 hours ago
... Ground Zero is a sacred site," said Rita Lasar , a steering committee
member of the group, September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. ...

Bush urged to pull 9/11 ads
News24, South Africa - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of the group steering committee of September 11 Families for
Peaceful Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the ...

September 11 families say Bush campaign treading on the dead
Channel News Asia, Singapore - 2 hours ago
... Ground Zero is a sacred site," said Rita Lasar , a steering committee
member of the group, September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. ...

Families urge Bush to pull September 11 adverts
Channel News Asia, Singapore - 3 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
The Australian, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
Daily Telegraph, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull September 11 averts
Channel News Asia, Singapore - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
Advertiser, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Families urge Bush to pull 9/11 ads
Brisbane Courier Mail, Australia - 4 hours ago
... Rita Lasar , member of group steering committee of September 11 Families for Peaceful
Tomorrows, said: "President Bush promised that he would not use the site ...

Bush's 9/11 ads upset firefighters, victims' families
San Francisco Chronicle, CA - 8 hours ago
... President Bush would rally support around his campaign by using our loved ones in
a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe," said Rita Lasar , a New ...

Paul Farhi THE WASHINGTON POST |
Provo Daily Herald, UT - 11 hours ago
... President Bush would rally support around his campaign by using our loved ones in
a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe," said Rita Lasar , a New ...

Bush ads with 9-11 images stir controversy
Seattle Times, WA - 12 hours ago
... President Bush would rally support around his campaign by using our loved ones in
a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe," said Rita Lasar , a New ...

Bush Ads Using 9/11 Images Stir Anger
Washington Post - 17 hours ago
... President Bush would rally support around his campaign by using our loved ones in
a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe," said Rita Lasar , a New ...

Anger at terror images in Bush ads
The Age, Australia - 8 hours ago
... President Bush would rally support around his campaign by using our loved ones in
a way that is so shameful is hard for me to believe," said Rita Lasar , a New ...

http://news.google.com/news?q=%22Rita+Lasar%22&num=100&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&filter=0

Rita Lasar is 70 years old, the mother of 2 sons, Raphael and Matthew and the grandmother of Emma aged 7 and Jake aged 15. She and her husband, Ted owned a small electronics company which they ran until Ted had a stroke. She closed the business to stay home to care for him until he died. She then was a volunteer and then paid worker in the first Clinton campaign. After that she ran the office of a candidate for a seat for the New York City Council. Recently she was a volunteer in the New York City Schools program where she taught 1st and 2nd graders to read on a one to one basis. Rita's brother Abe Zelmanowitz was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22Barry+Amundson%22+group:misc.activism.progressive&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=misc.activism.progressive&safe=off&selm=a15l9f%2431gi%241%40pencil.math.missouri.edu&rnum=1

From: Weekly News Update Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive Subject: CREED Calendar: 2 specials Followup-To: alt.activism.d Date: 4 Jan 2002 19:35:43 -0600 Organization: ? Lines: 180 Sender: daemon@pencil.math.missouri.edu Approved: map@pencil.math.missouri.edu Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: pencil.math.missouri.edu X-Trace: dipsy.missouri.edu 1010194543 10185 128.206.49.147 (5 Jan 2002 01:35:43 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@dipsy.missouri.edu NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002 01:35:43 +0000 (UTC)

1) KPFA ELECTIONS ORGANIZER SPEAKS IN NYC!!! JAN 5, 2002 2) Your support is requested for a very special delegation to Afghanistan

=======================================================================

David Greene, Election Coordinator at KPFA in Berkeley, will be talking on the election process in NYC. The details are below.

The Exploratory Committee of WBAI Local Advisory Board and the Elections Committee of Concerned Friends of WBAI

invite you to a

discussion of station board elections with David Greene, KPFA Election Coordinator

Saturday, January 5, 2002, 4 PM to 6:30 PM Seafarers & International House, 123 East 15th St at Irving Place, 2nd floor

o The WBAI community of staff and listener-supporters is going to elect a station board for the first time ever.

o The recent Pacifica settlement agreement requires station board elections within a year, based on the model used at KPFA in 2000 and 2001.

o David Greene will tell us how elections are conducted at KPFA. The information should aid us in electing the first station board at WBAI.

o As future voters, take advantage of this unique opportunity.

BE THERE AND START THE NEW YEAR RIGHT! =========================================================================

2)From: Leslie Cagan Subject: your support is requested... Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2002 19:04:01 -0800

Dear Friends,

I hope everyone had a good holiday and a happy New Year. I cant think of a better way to start this new year than to let you know about an important trip to Afghanistan and to ask for your financial support for this effort.

A friend of mine, Rita Lasar, lost her brother in the attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11th. You might have heard the story about the man who would not leave his friend in a wheelchairthat was Ritas brother, Abe Zelmanowitz. Now, Rita, along with a small delegation of others who lost loved ones on 9.11, is planning on traveling to Afghanistan to meet with the families and friends of people killed during the war. (More details about the trip and people participating are included below.)

I first met Rita in the fall of 2000 as I and others started to develop Concerned Friends of WBAI, the community based activist group that as been fighting to reclaim WBAI and is part of the national movement to return the Pacifica radio network to its mission. When I learned of her loss during the 9.11 attack I contacted Rita to see if she would speak at a demonstration I was helping to organize against the coming war in Afghanistan. Still grieving, Rita decided she had to speak out and delivered an eloquent statement at the October 7th Not In Our Name demonstration here in New York City.

The delegation to Afghanistan is being organized by Global Exchange; a San Francisco based organization I have worked with for many years. The group is scheduled to leave in a little more than a week, and as you might imagine there is a great deal of work still to do to put everything together. One critical piece is the need to raise upwards of $5,000 to make sure all of the costs of Rita and the others will be met. I am sending a donation today and hope you will do likewise!

If you can, please take a moment right now to send a donation: checks should be made out to: Global Exchange/Afghan trip and sent to 2017 Mission St. #303, San Francisco, CA 94110. They are tax deductible.

On their return I am sure the groups participants will share their experiences as a contribution to the work of the anti-war movement around the country. In addition, Global Exchange will be setting up a Fund for Afghan Victims of U.S. Bombing.

I hope this important trip to Afghanistan will be a sample of many good, strong, positive organizing efforts we can all participate in as this year unfolds. Thanks in advance for your financial support of this trip!

Peace, Leslie Cagan ------------------------------------------------- DRAFT ITINERARY FOR 2-WEEK TRIP TO AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Based on 10 days in region, two days travel on each end

Day 1: Arrive in Islamabad, drive immediately to Peshawar (2 1/2 hours) Peshawar: stay in Green Hotel Evening meeting with Head of Pakistan Human Rights Commission on refugee crisis Day 2: meeting with victims families, arranged by Afghan Womens Network and International Human Rights Law Group Meet with HAWCA: Humanitarian Afghan Women and Children Association Dinner with family Day 3: 9am depart for Jalalabad 3 hour ride Visit refugee camp outside Jalalabad (Sir Shaliee camp) Visit hospital where many of the bomb victims were treated Meet with the Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross Dinner with Mayor, stay at Mayors house Day 4: Visit Girls School - do a dedication for a sister school Visit nearby villages that were targets of air strikes Day 5: Travel to Kabul - six hour ride Intercontinental Hotel Dinner with several invitees: UN rep, Rep from Dept. of Womens Affairs Day 6: childrens hospital Home visits Orphanage Dinner with family/spend night Day 7: Meetings with victims families Meeting with World Food Program Widows Bakery project Dinner with advisors/potential people to run fund Day 8: Internally displaced peoples camp Street childrens center US Embassy and new government rep Press briefing Going away party Day 9: leave for Peshawar Day 10: travel to Islamabad; return home ------------------------------------------------------

BIOS OF THE PARTICIPANTS. David Potorti is a writer and radio/television producer residing in Cary, North Carolina. He lived and worked in New York City and Los Angeles for eighteen years, where he served as a trade journalist covering the television business, a writer/producer of network television promotion, and a print news reporter. He was a staff producer in the marketing and promotion department of the ABC television network and has worked as a freelance marketer and producer for NBC, HBO/Cinemax, Showtime/The Movie Channel, The Cartoon Network, UPN and The WB. Since moving to North Carolina, he has become a regular writer for The Independent Weekly newspaper in Durham, a writer/researcher for UNC-TV's "Folkways" series, a part-time host on WUNC-FM in Chapel Hill, and a correspondent for Pacifica Network News in Washington, DC. He also works with Democracy South, the North Carolina Center for Voter Education, and the Empowerment Project on issues of social justice. David's brother Jim was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

Colleen Kelly is a family nurse practitioner working in an urban high school. She has worked as a pediatric nurse in various hospitals as well at Covenant House, a residence for runaway adolescents. Along with two other nurse practitioners, she started a free clinic in 1997 serving the adult uninsured population of East Harlem. The clinic was recently renamed in memory of her brother William H, Kelly Jr. who was killed at the World Trade Center on Sept 11. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children, ages 5, 7 and 9.

Rita Lasar is 70 years old, the mother of 2 sons, Raphael and Matthew and the grandmother of Emma aged 7 and Jake aged 15. She and her husband, Ted owned a small electronics company which they ran until Ted had a stroke. She closed the business to stay home to care for him until he died. She then was a volunteer and then paid worker in the first Clinton campaign. After that she ran the office of a candidate for a seat for the New York City Council. Recently she was a volunteer in the New York City Schools program where she taught 1st and 2nd graders to read on a one to one basis. Rita's brother Abe Zelmanowitz was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

Barry Amundson is a graphic designer and computer system administrator living in Oakland California. Barry has worked as an art director, interactive designer and production artist for design, advertising, branding and internet companies in San Francisco for the past 6 years. He has a B.A. in Art from the University of Iowa with an emphasis in design and photography, 1995. His brother Craig was killed in the Pentagon attack.

======================================================================= Weekly News Update on the Americas * Nicaragua Solidarity Network of NY 339 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012 * 212-674-9499 fax: 212-674-9139 http://home.earthlink.net/~nicadlw/wnuhome.html * wnu@igc.apc.org =======================================================================

Refuse and
Resist!

Families of 9/11 Victims Report on Their Visit to Afghanistan

On January 27th, several hundred people crowded into the Park Slope United Methodist Church, in Brooklyn, New York, to welcome back some of the family members of 9/11 victims who had returned the previous day from a trip to Afghanistan. Their delegation was organized by the human rights group, Global Exchange, to connect the experiences of families who lost loved ones on September 11th with families who have lost loved ones to U.S. bombing in Afghanistan. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! hosted the welcome back event, which also served to kick off fundraising for a new Afghan victims' relief fund.

Two of the four family members who made the trip, as well as Medea Benjamin, founding director of Global Exchange, spoke about their experience in Afghanistan. Rita Lasar, a 70 year old New Yorker, lost her brother, Abe Zelmanowitz, at the World Trade Center. Also present was Kelly Campbell, whose brother-in-law and long-time friend, Craig Amundsen, was killed at the Pentagon. Kelly went to Afghanistan representing Craig's widow, Amber, who has passionately spoken out against the U.S. government actions in the aftermath of September 11th. Kelly and Rita were accompanied on the trip by Derrill Bodley and his stepdaughter, Eva Rupp. Derrill's 20 year old daughter, Deora, was a passenger on Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania. He decided to participate in the trip because he knew his daughter would've wanted him to go.

Medea Benjamin began the evening by explaining the genesis of the plan to bring the families together. Global Exchange had sent a delegation to Afghanistan in late November. Surprised by the number of civilians whose lives had been devastated by the bombing campaign, they came back determined to increase American consciousness of what was actually happening to people as a result of the "war on terror." They also came back determined to find out why there has been such a high civilian casualty rate in Afghanistan. Estimates of civilians killed have ranged from 2000 - 4000 and the actual number may be much higher. When the Global Exchange delegation returned from Afghanistan they received a tepid response from a press not eager to cover stories that seemed to place blame on the U.S. government. It was then that Global Exchange devised the family meeting plan, knowing that it would be a once in a lifetime experience for all involved, as well as irresistible to the press. When they began calling up victims' family members, they talked to many people who considered the idea a good one, but were themselves too distraught or who were concerned about the dangers inherent in such a trip.

The first person to commit to go was Rita Lasar. Once she came onboard, they were able to enlist the remaining three family members in the delegation. They spent nine days in Afghanistan visiting people who'd been affected by the bombing, visiting schools, and meeting with government officials. Their goal: to send a message to the world that there are Americans who care about the Afghan people and that there is a response to the tragedy of September 11th that doesn't involve dropping bombs on people.

Amy Goodman welcomed the "return of real heroes" before introducing Kelly Campbell. Kelly spoke about her brother-in-law, Craig. She spoke about his memorial service, which was held the same day that the U.S. started bombing Afghanistan, and about how she was torn on that day between wanting to focus on Craig's life, while at the same time being concerned about what was happening to people on the other side of the world in the name of avenging his death. She thought about all the people in Afghanistan who would be affected by the bombing and whose stories would never be told. When the chance to go to Afghanistan came, she considered it a "gift."

As she spoke about her experience in Afghanistan, she held up photos of some of the people she'd met. The first photo was of a 6 year old boy whose sister had been killed and who had refused to speak or walk since. She held up a photo of a young man who had lost a leg in the bombing and was now unable to work and support his family. She held up a photo of a young woman whose house had been bombed, which killed several members of her family. Kelly ended by noting that they had only visited Kabul, which was not one of the most heavily bombed parts of the country.

She also spoke about visiting a girls' school in Kabul. Kelly's mother is a teacher in Iowa and had enlisted her class to write letters to children in Afghanistan. While there, Kelly delivered the letters to a class at the school for girls. The children there wrote back to the American children and Kelly returned with cards, most expressing sympathy for what had happened on September 11th. As Kelly noted, "These kids understand terror."

Rita Lasar also spoke. She talked about being handed pieces of paper with the names and addresses of people killed by their families desperate to have their grief recognized. She also spoke about meeting a woman whose husband and 5 children had been killed in the bombing. As a result, she'd been reduced to begging. She came to the US embassy to deliver a letter to the American families that she'd had translated, but was turned away by officials at the Embassy who told her "We don't accept beggars." This reminded Rita of the outpouring of sympathy she had received from politicians and from people around the world after her brother was killed. "I lost one person, she lost 8," she said.

Now the family members are traveling around the country to promote the Afghan Victims' Fund. Kelly and Rita, along with other victims' families, are also starting an organization called "September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows." Determined to turn her personal tragedy into something positive for the world, Rita declared, "We're committing the rest of our lives to this cause." The evening raised more than $7000 for the victims fund.

photo: Amy Goodman, Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, Rita Lasar, and Kelly Campbell

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.

[posted 2/2/02]

Acts of Resistance | The New Normalcy | R&R Main Page

Join Refuse & Resist!
305 Madison Ave., Suite 1166, New York, NY 10165
Phone: 212-713-5657
email: info@refuseandresist.org

Rita Lasar, 71
New York, USA

My brother Abe [Zelmanowitz, 55] worked in the north tower of the World Trade Centre, on the 27th floor. He could have got out, but his colleague, Ed, a quadriplegic, was trapped with him. My other brother and sister-in-law called him, begging him to leave, but he said he would wait for help to get Ed out. But help came too late.

Then Bush made his speech at the National Cathedral [September 14 2001]. He mentioned my brother's heroic act, and it became immediately apparent to me that my country was going to use my brother's death to justify attacks in Afghanistan. That was as horrendous a blow to me as the actual attacks on September 11. I hoped and prayed that this country would not unleash forces in my brother's name. When it [the bombing of Afghanistan] happened, I was horrified and devastated. I felt so impotent.

Then I got a call from Global Exchange [a human rights organisation], asking me if I'd like to go to Afghanistan. What I saw there changed my life for ever. I had been a very privileged, blessed American who had only ever seen war on TV. And then I went to Afghanistan and saw the devastation and horror of what happens to innocent people when bombs fall -- anyone's bombs, anywhere in the world. That my brother's name had been used to justify attacks on the people I met, became family with, cried and grieved with, brought it to a point where it was emotional and real. I found nothing but understanding, warmth, hugs -- they knew all about 9/11 and they grieved for us and apologised to us. Every American should go there -- because, if they did, they would stop the plans for war on Iraq immediately.

I did not pay any attention to who was to blame for 9/11 -- there was no place left in my mind and heart other than the grief about my brother and the people who were going to be killed in his name. I didn't feel anger. I didn't want any other sister or mother to feel this way. It was only later that I began to think about how to bring the perpetrators to justice. I knew that bombing was not the answer. We are no safer now than when we started bombing. We are going to war with a country that had no connection to 9/11, our privacy and our freedom in this country are being slowly whittled away, and Muslims are afraid to go out in the street -- in a city that used to welcome everybody.

Revenge for 9/11 is the excuse they are using to bomb Iraq. There are people in Iraq who are alive today and who will be dead next month if we have a war -- and my country will say that they have done that to avenge my brother's death. I will not let my brother, my dear brother's death, be hypocritically used in this war -- the fact that his death is being used cynically hurts me so much, I can't tell you. Imagine someone who you loved, who died violently, being used insincerely and untruthfully in a political campaign. It is an exploitation.

So I have no intention of touching the subject of revenge. If people ask me why I don't want retribution, I say that it is the natural human reaction to not seek retribution -- or it should be. It cannot accomplish anything. My brother is dead. I privately mourn for him every moment. But I am not looking to atone for his death. I'm looking to prevent the death of others. I don't want to see other people die to amend a ghastly, unbelievable death. The world is larger than just me. Things don't have to be done to make up for things that have happened to me. Things have to be done to make things better in the world. I draw from my love of human beings that everyone is the same as I am. That it is possible -- not in a dream, but someday -- for this to be a peaceful planet. I'll fight to the day I die against this war on terror. I don't want my granddaughter to be sitting here at my age, facing the same world that I'm facing now: a world of starvation, war and inequity. Surely we can do better than this.

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/beNotTerror.html#RL

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.