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American Morning
September's Mission Founder Discusses World Trade Center Site
Aired March 12, 2002 - 08:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: After a day of memorials and tributes to the victims of 9/11, New Yorkers are still faced with the question of creating a permanent memorial. Yesterday six months after the attacks, there were moments of silence and remembrance. Officials rededicated the Sphere, the sculpture that once stood in the World Trade Center Plaza. And last night there was another powerful symbol of renewal near ground zero. Twin towers of light were illuminated representing the towers that once stood there.
And to those whose loved ones died in the World Trade Center, the site is sacred ground, and Monica Iken wants to keep it that way. She lost her husband in the terror attacks and her group, September's Mission, wants the entire 16 acres turned into a permanent memorial. And Monica Iken joins us this morning.
Good morning. Thank you very much for being with us.
MONICA IKEN, FOUNDER, SEPTEMBER'S MISSION: Thank you.
ZAHN: How did you weather yesterday?
IKEN: I did well considering, you know, and it was nice, and I think the ceremonies were really nice.
ZAHN: Were you downtown?
(CROSSTALK)
IKEN: Yes ...
(CROSSTALK)
ZAHN: You went to Battery Park for the ceremony. And did you visit ground zero yesterday?
IKEN: I didn't go to ground zero because I was busy doing the activities in the morning and then going -- I had to do some other things in between. So ...
ZAHN: We talked about September's Mission at the top of this interview, and I want people to understand just how committed you are to no commercial use of this land. You had told CBS at one point -- quote -- "it is a burial ground, and I will stand there and do whatever we have to do to get 16 acres, and I know a human chain will form. If we don't, I can guarantee it".
How much support do you have for the entire acreage to be dedicated to a memorial?
IKEN: Well September's Mission is to support a memorial park for the future site of World Trade Center, and I think that the families, you know, right now it's -- it is a burial site for us, and it is sacred and hallow ground, and it's really hard for us to even see anything other than the fact that it is still a recovery site. And families are supportive of the fact that they really feel that it is a burial site, and until it is no longer that, they can't see anything other.
It's -- you know it's not really about quantity any more. It's about what the qualities of the land should possess for the future. And that's the importance. You know, it's -- the families really have a hard time right now seeing it any other way because for us it is sacred and how -- I mean most of us will not get any remains, so the point for September's Mission is really to be the constructive voice for the families and really help them to see, you know, for the leaders to see why it's so important for us to acknowledge what that site means to us.
ZAHN: A lot of architects and artists have come up with their visions of what this park might ultimately look like, whether it's entirely devoted to the memorial or whether it's in mixed used with commercial buildings. I'm going to show some of this video now. What do you think when you -- when you see these pictures? Does any of this make sense to you?
IKEN: No, because it's just too soon to even, you know, have any images right now. It's not -- you can't -- how can anyone think of it any other way but a burial site right at this moment when it's still a recovery, and to think of anything being on that site right now, it's too soon. We need to slow down. I'm happy to say that the leaders, the politicians have been saying, you know, we need to slow down, and it's important to look at the future 100 years from now. It's not about, you know, 10, 20, 30 years. It's about the future, and it's too soon for us to even be thinking about it.
ZAHN: We're looking at this image now of the temporary memorial. I don't know whether you saw those very powerful beams of light last night, but do you find those acceptable in the meantime?
IKEN: They're acceptable because they're not towers. They don't reflect the towers. They're supposed to be a tribute of light, which is a reflection of the spirits, the souls that were lost that day, just a remembrance. It's not -- it has nothing to do with the Towers. It's really -- if the Towers could have been knocked down at 2:00 a.m., they were knocked at 9:00 a.m. in the morning with people and lives in them. So, it's really a reflection of the souls that were lost that day, and it's a nice reminder of that.
ZAHN: We close with a picture, now, of a photo taken of you and your husband just days before the terrorist attacks. Because you've been so involved with the September's Mission, have you even had time to grieve?
IKEN: No there isn't any time to grieve. Right now it's very important that I do focus every energy I have on this. It's so important that we are heard. The families need to be heard. September's Mission is all about supporting the memorial park for the future. And we have such an opportunity to do the right thing, and as long as I'm here I'm going to make sure that we do the right thing for my husband, Michael, and all those that were lost that day -- just because it's so important.
ZAHN: Well I know it's a tough road you're traveling, particularly because you're never going to get 100 percent agreement on any idea, but we wish you well ...
IKEN: Thank you.
ZAHN: ... as you continue your work here. Monica Iken, thank you for coming by today. Glad you joined us today and you -- potentially was going to join us yesterday, it was freezing out there, better inside today.
IKEN: Looks good.
ZAHN: Good luck to you. Thanks Monica.
IKEN: Thank you.
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