Strains of “God Bless America,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and other traditional American songs could be heard across Library Mall Thursday as patriotic Wisconsin residents gathered to commemorate the one-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The rally, organized as the kickoff event of Students in Support of America, featured speeches by Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow, state Reps. Steve Nass and Scott Suder, UW history professor John Sharpless and several students involved in the planning of the rally.
UW students Tony Blodgett, Mike Duffey and Ali Khorsand founded the organization as an outlet for students to organize and show their support for their country.
Farrow commended the students who were present and all those who wish to demonstrate their support for their country.
“It is important that we take a moment today, a month removed from these acts of terror, to celebrate together what we have and what we must do to preserve it,” Farrow said. “The right of freedom for everyone.”
As the speakers continued and members of the UW Marching Band added live renditions of classic patriotic tunes, many passers-by gathered to witness the event.
Sharpless, a former Republican congressional candidate, addressed the crowd near the end of the ceremony in an attempt to bring a more human perspective to the proceedings.
“No death is understandable to those who love,” Sharpless said. “It seems so ironic that it is autumn … falling of leaves and the smell of winter. So far away from the tragedy, we go on about our lives, but in sudden moments of dread we once again see the hellfires and blood of Sept. 11. Those women and men and children did not deserve to die.”
However, Sharpless said this fact will not affect America’s strength.
“Yet America can be reborn anew. We will find new strength in the mission for liberty and justice for all,” he said.
A contingent of peace protestors gathered around the periphery of the assembled crowd, bearing signs asking for peace and denouncing American aggression.
UW senior Dan Collins was among the protestors.
“I don’t think the bombings in the Middle East are the way to deal with what has occurred,” Collins said. “We need to bring the terrorists to justice, but we must negotiate with the Taliban to do so.”
Were he in the same position sixty years ago, Collins said he would not be completely sure of his position on whether to negotiate with the likes of Adolf Hitler of Germany and Emperor Hirohito of Japan, but says he may have found a similar course of action appropriate then as well.
Several members of local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters were on hand to witness the proceedings. Dale Hundt, who served in Europe from 1948-52, and Gordon Faust, who served in Korea and Desert Storm, both stood at attention with the pride and posture of young recruits during the procession of the colors.
“We didn’t come here to make any kind of statement. Only to honor and remember,” Hundt said. “The protestors are simply something that is part of a free society.”
After the proceedings, several students who had been in the crowd approached the men and offered solemn handshakes and words of thanks for their sacrifice.
“That is payment enough,” said Faust with a glimmering eye and a quivering lip.
