Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 22:36:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Louis Epstein 
Subject: WTC Rebuilding #397:Hearing Dec 8/Write the Tabloids!!


There has been some coverage in the NY Times about how the
memorial foundation and the development corporation (both of
which have boards chaired by John Whitehead) have been
feuding over the costs of the memorial and other cultural
structures the officials plan for the WTC site.
A November 6th story was brought to my attention by
the website 911memorials.org which apparently also
uses "restoregroundzero.org" though they are NOT about
restoring,generally.(We should make note of the comment
opportunities on that site!

Joy Goldberg sent me a November 11 followup article where
Whitehead cites rising construction costs that will I hope
continue to cause problems for the official plans though I
regret any problems higher costs would cause for doing the
RIGHT thing.

As far as covering costs on the site in general,
A PUBLIC HEARING ON ISSUING "LIBERTY BONDS" TO SILVERSTEIN
has been announced for DECEMBER 8...anyone who knows the
exact time and place please let me know ASAP!

It is important for us to show up and say bluntly that any
expenditure of funds on the official plans is a waste and
that everything should be held back until they are discarded!
The agency issuing the bonds is one at which we have NOT
previously testified.

TWO IMPORTANT EDITORIALS TO REACT TO:
The November 12 Daily News "Drawing a Blank at Ground Zero"
http://nydailynews.com/11-12-2005/news/story/364770p-310654c.html
(appeared the same day as a letter offering to bet
New Orleans would rebuild before the WTC)
and the November 13 Post "Years Late,Dollars Short"
both concern the official muddling.

We have GOT to inundate both with letters that make clear
that moving ahead with the official plans is the LAST thing
we need (I have already sent mine to both papers).

The Daily News is voicers@edit.nydailynews.com and
they demand (but do not print) postal address and phone
number.
The Post is letters@nypost.com and they don't.

The Daily News editorial actually begins with saying that the
development corporation's pledge of millions of dollars to help
the evicted Drawing Center relocate shows "just how out of whack
its priorities are"...tells how few people want to donate to the
official memorial plans...and then goes on to demand more effective
implementation of those plans that are the prime symptom of those
dementedly misplaced priorities!

Be clear to them that what we need is a restored World Trade Center
that shows no retreat,that we do NOT want more effective means of
moving ahead with plans whose adoption in the first place was an
enduring disgrace.

I know I keep asking you to write...remember...
the effort we put in
is what enables us to win.

If we KEEP beating our drums we have the means
to wear down the official losers' chants of "we've won",
and tricking us into believing that has always been the
only way our opponents COULD win.

WE must win...period.

For some days CNN rotated various reader responses on what
to do with New Orleans,and one day Donald Trump's backing of
new Twin Towers was hailed by a reader as a qualification for
him to be put in charge of rebuilding New Orleans.(No word yet
if he has confirmed his plans for a tallest tower in that city).

Steve Cuozzo of the Post addressed a November 9 to Bloomberg regarding
Downtown...we know where he stands but good to keep the waters roiled.

The memorial foundation had a website chat with their landscape architect
which you can bet was even more loaded in favor of doing what they want
than Libeskind's appearance at the Gotham Gazette.He said the plaza would
have 24/7 access but no pets would be permitted...maybe some memorialist
read the comments about how past memorials have become places people
walk dogs and wanted a reassurance that wouldn't happen.Like other
official promises I wouldn't bet on this...but let's make it academic
by getting the official plans cancelled!

See you on the 111th floor on 9-11-11!

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.