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		• NEWS >> ATW Script September 12, 2002 Yearly Script Program Index -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi and welcome back to Assignment: The World for the week of September twelfth, 2002. I’m Elissa Marra. In our top story this week… the country remembers the victims and heroes of September eleventh. #1-9/11 ANNIVERSARY In ceremonies across the country people marked the first anniversary of the September 11th attacks by remembering those who passed away. Prayers were offered for victims and their families as President Bush called for “national days of prayer and remembrance.” At St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York City parishioners reflected on the past year and the changes it brought. At Ground Zero and numerous other locations around the city ceremonies honoring those who died and their families were held. Ceremonies In Washington, D.C. and New York City were attended by President George Bush and other dignitaries as they remembered the events of September 11th. In a field in Pennsylvania a makeshift memorial to the heroes of Flight ninety-three has sprung up. People from around the country find themselves making pilgrimages to the site remembering those who gave their own lives in order to save others. (Nick Benvenuto) “I just couldn’t believe how someone could do this to us. It makes me really sad.” Flowers, flags, stuffed animals and personal messages form a memorial wall ensuring that Flight ninety-three, its passengers and their final act will not be forgotten. (Rachel Chapman) “I mean, if you look around, I believe that people … people remember and the fact that we felt, coming from California, felt the need I believe they will be remembered.” (Brian Benvenuto) “I don’t think they ever will be forgotten. I think the fact that it was out in this remote secluded, very rural setting just even more dramatizes the point of really where that plane was headed. And truly what they did.” ATW FACT The rebuilding of the Pentagon was named the “Phoenix Project” after the mythical bird that lives for five-hundred years and then regenerates from a fire started by the bird. Source: World Television News REST OF THE NEWS In the rest of the news this week... the Pentagon reconstruction is completed and employees return to new offices. Arab-Americans face a new and unfriendly climate here in the U-S. and finally, even though a year has passed, some New Yorkers still find themselves reliving the day. #2- REBUILDING THE PENTAGON The Pentagon in Washington, D-C is the largest building under one roof. As the headquarters for the five wings of the United States’ military, the Pentagon is viewed as a symbol of American military strength. But on September eleventh, American Airlines flight seventy-seven with sixty-four passengers and crew on board slammed into the northwest side of the building, killing one-hundred and twenty-five working at the Pentagon and all of the people on board the plane. More than one-hundred people were seriously injured. Four-hundred-thousand square feet of office space was structurally damaged. A promise was made a year ago to have people back in the Pentagon and at their desks by September eleventh, 2002. After removing fifty-thousand tons of debris from the site, the promise was fulfilled and the Pentagon rebuilding was complete a month ahead of schedule. The construction project manager, Walker Lee Evey, said he learned a lesson we should all remember… (Walker Evey) “If there’s one lesson to come out of this whole thing here it’s that Americans can do anything, you know, especially if we work together as a team our potential is unlimited." (1:00) WTN 9/3 Structurally (adj) damage occurred to the building’s structure… the parts that constructed it. #3-I AM NOT A TERRORIST There are nearly six-million Muslims in the United States, according to the Council on Islamic-American relations. Muslim communities can be found in most major American cities, living in harmony with those of other faiths. But some Muslims say they are feeling more and more unwelcome in their hometowns ever since the September eleventh terror attacks. One year later, living in the U-S has become a nightmare for some Americans of Arab descent. Our country, which was a haven for Arab-Americans, has now become a country of periodic harassment and questioning in which Muslims fear harm to their families, homes and businesses. All this continues even after President George Bush declared that Islam was a peaceful religion a year ago when he visited a Washington, D-C mosque just two days after the attacks. (President Bush) ”The face of terror is not the true face of Islam. That’s not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace.” The actions of some U-S law enforcement agencies since September eleventh have not always reflected the president’s views. Last year in March, scores of Islamic businesses, foundations and research institutes were raided in an attempt to find any possible links with Islamic terrorist groups. One Washington attorney says the climate has changed for Arab-Americans during this past year. (Maher Hanania) ”We’re not treated equally. They still think of us as, even though we’re Americans, they still think of us as foreigners.” As America continues its campaign against terrorism, it faces the fundamental problem of balance—how to protect the homeland from a secretive terrorist organization while maintaining the rights of individuals. (1:30) WTN 9/4 Descent (n) to derive from a lineage; ancestors. POP QUIZ #1 In our story about the Pentagon, did we tell that the rebuilding was completed… On time A month early Way behind schedule And the correct answer is number two, the reconstruction was completed a month early. IN RELATED NEWS… CONGRESS IN NYC As the world remembers the events of September 11th other events continue to make news… For only the second time in U-S history, Congress held a special session last Friday in New York City. The ceremonial session was designed to show solidarity with the city still scarred by last year’s attacks and to pledge justice on behalf of its victims. More than three-hundred of the five-hundred and thirty-four members of the U-S House of Representatives and the Senate packed into Federal Hall, where the first Congress approved the Constitution and witnessed the inauguration of President George Washington in 1789. SEARCH FOR OSAMA BIN LADEN Within one week of the September eleventh attacks last year, President Bush declared that Osama bin Laden, the suspected leader of the al Qaeda terrorist organization responsible for the attacks, was wanted “dead or alive.” Since then, bin Laden has continued to elude U-S intelligence and military forces. His whereabouts are completely unknown, and we don’t even know if he is dead or alive. Back in December, the U-S intercepted radio traffic between bin Laden and his forces in the Tora Bora region of eastern Afghanistan. From there, he may have escaped into Pakistan, finding shelter with other extremists. BUSH/BLAIR President George Bush met Saturday with British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Camp David, the presidential retreat outside Washington, D-C. The two leaders agreed on a “shared strategy” for dealing with Iraq’s leader, Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction. Bush and Blair said the world must confront Saddam because the Iraqi leader defied the United Nations and reneged on promises to destroy weapons of mass destruction. U-N weapons inspectors were thrown out of Iraq but reported that Saddam may have been only six months away from developing a threatening weapon. The two are trying to rally support from reluctant allies to deal with Saddam, possibly by military force. WTN 9/8 THIS WEEK IN WORLD HISTORY This week in world history… on September thirteenth, 1788… the Congress of the Confederation authorized the first national election and declared New York City the temporary national capital. ATW FEATURE - 9/11 Volunteerism (Wyatt) Following the tragedy of September 11th agencies and organizations across the country saw an up swing in volunteerism. People everywhere wanted to do something… help somehow… they wanted to make a difference. (Volunteer) "I saw things on TV and wanted to help out in some way and this is the way that seemed the most available way for me to do it." (Youth volunteer) "We want them to know that the youth care and I think most importantly tell them, the message is, that they are our heroes now." (Wyatt) Red Cross volunteers Lew and Dee Brown are just two of millions of volunteers who stepped up in an effort to make a difference. (Dee Brown) "Life has been very good to us and we have a desire to give back. We have made a commitment to ourselves that there was a need. And we would make ourselves available for as long as that need was there." (Wyatt) Organizations like the Red Cross have seen a decline in volunteers and donations since then. But the need for both is still there. (Peter Macias, Disaster Volunteer, American Red Cross) As a result of the events that took place on 9/11 there was a huge rekindling of volunteer spirit across the United States. People were coming out of the woodwork to volunteer, it didn't matter how they did or what they did they just want to get in there and help with the recovery work. I think in the months and years to come it is going to be very important for people to realize they need to continue doing so." (Wyatt) As the nation marks the anniversary of 9-11 the Red Cross and other assistance-related organizations want everyone to continue to help. The need for volunteers young and old is still there. And for many the satisfaction of helping those less-fortunate is more than enough payback. (Lew Brown) I get more out of it than I give. That's what feeds me and that is why I'm here because it gives me complete satisfaction. For Assignment: The World, I’m Wyatt Doremus. ISN'T IT COOL? Britain’s oldest manufacturing company has produced a commemorative bell to mark the anniversary of the September eleventh attacks. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry already has a special relationship with the United States, it made the original Liberty Bell. The new bell was presented to New York’s Trinity Church. It will be mounted on a stand in the churchyard. The inscription reads in part, “…in recognition of the enduring links between the City of London and the City of New York. Forged in adversity – September 11th, 2001.” ISSUE Earlier in our story about Arab-Americans, we told you about the fundamental problem of balancing the rights of individuals against protecting the country as a whole from secretive terrorist groups. We learned how many Arab-Americans feel threatened and afraid because law enforcement agencies --and regular citizens—treat them as though they may be guilty of being part of a terrorist group just because they are of Arab descent. One attorney said they are treated like foreigners even though they are just as American as any of us. Some people feel that because of the surprise attacks last year, we have to treat anyone of Arab descent as though they could be the next attacker, just to keep the rest of the country safe. Others feel that the American Constitution protects all American citizens from certain intrusions by the government and we should not allow every Arab-American to be treated as a suspect because of their ancestry, especially the many Muslims who grew up here in the U-S and have always been model citizens. Well, we’d like to know what you think…”Is it okay for individual rights to be set aside for homeland security?” Discuss this issue with your classmates after the show and then write to us with your opinions. MAILBAG We look forward to receiving your responses to our first issue question of the year… “Is it okay for individual rights to be set aside for homeland security?” We read each one of your letters and e-mail messages and then report your opinions two weeks later. We will need your responses to our latest issue question by September twenty-third. If you would like to receive an Assignment: The World Press card, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. You may send issue question ideas and write to us here at Assignment: The World, Post Office Box three-zero-zero-twenty-one, Rochester, New York… one-4-6-zero-3… or you may contact us at the A-T-W website at www.wxxi.org/ATW . We also read e-mail at atw@wxxi.org. POP QUIZ #2 In our story about Bush and Blair, which leader did they meet to discuss? Was it… Saddam Hussein Fidel Castro Osama bin Laden And the correct answer is number one… they met to discuss a strategy for dealing with Saddam Hussein. NEW CLUES And now it’s time for next week’s clues in the news… Our first clue is a location… 34 Degrees, 39 minutes north latitude 69 Degrees, 14 minutes east longitudeOur second clue is a fill-in-the-blank, it’s two words… B __ S __ __ D D __ E S __ And finally, our third clue is a newsmaker. Who is Pervez Musharraf? These are clues to stories we think will happen in the coming week. You can find the answers on radio and television newscasts and in newspapers and newsmagazines. We’ll reveal the answers on next week’s show. Good luck! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And that’s it for this week’s show. From all of us here at Assignment: The World, I’m Elissa Marra. We’ll see you again next week. © 2003 WXXI-TV/ Assignment: The World. All Rights Reserved.