The Washington Post, September 9, 2007

Politics Roil Observance Of Sept. 11

Excerpt from article

...That Sept. 11 has become something of a political football this year is perhaps not surprising, given the ongoing presidential campaign.

Emotions have generally run high in New York during earlier markings of the attack's anniversary. Yet emotions have run especially high this year among the "9/11 community": victims' family members, volunteers and first responders personally affected by the attacks. Many have lashed out at recent suggestions in the New York media that some people have Sept. 11 "fatigue" amid the flurry of tributes and exhibitions planned for Tuesday.

"It is the most outrageous suggestion I can imagine," said Lee Ielpi, president of the September 11th Families Association, who lost his son, a firefighter, in the World Trade Center that day. The group helped inaugurate an audio tour this month at the Tribute WTC Visitor Center near Ground Zero. Visitors can rent headphones and walk through the center and the Ground Zero site as they listen to narration by survivors and eyewitnesses of the attacks.

"Fatigue?" Ielpi said. "What, are we supposed to forget that day? No, that is unacceptable."

Family members also butted heads with Bloomberg over the city's decision to move this year's tribute from the World Trade Center site to a nearby park...

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Anthony Faiola
September 9, 2007