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American Morning
Some Relatives of 9/11 Victims Heading for Iraq
Aired January 03, 2003 - 08:09 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: This weekend some relatives of 9/11 victims are heading for Iraq. Their goal is to meet other victims of violence and terrorism and make a plea for peace.
Colleen Kelly's brother Bill was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center. She's a founding member of the group, which is called September 11 Families For A Peaceful Tomorrow.
Colleen Kelly joins us right now here in New York.
Good morning.
Thanks for joining us.
COLLEEN KELLY, 9/11 FAMILIES FOR A PEACEFUL TOMORROW: Good morning.
Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: Tell me more about your trip, the purpose and who you plan to meet with when you're there.
KELLY: Well, our purpose is really to go and meet with Iraqi families who have suffered immensely in these past 10 and 20 years. We specifically want to meet with families. We feel as family members here in the United States who have been affected by September 11 that that's really who our counterparts are in Iraq and we'd like to hear their stories, see their faces and understand more about their lives.
KAGAN: And by going and meeting with these other people, are you hoping to put a face on the country of Iraq that people just tend to see Saddam Hussein's face?
KELLY: Exactly. I think one of the most touching things for me was reading the portraits of grief in the "New York Times" in the days and months after September 11 that showed us the very human face of those who were lost on September 11. For us, the trip hopefully will do a similar thing for the Iraqi people, put a face on their suffering and their stories so that in the future I will know people in Iraq should something happen.
KAGAN: Now, when you say a plea for peace, is that a plea to the Iraqis or a plea to the United States?
KELLY: That's a plea to everyone. We really are going in a non- political way. We'd like to go and appeal to anyone, certainly people of international stature who might be able to help in this situation. It seems to me that the average American and the average person around the world really doesn't want war. None of us do. If there's any way to help avoid this conflict through negotiations or some kind of a more peaceful resolution, that's the alternative that we're seeking and asking for.
KAGAN: You say you're going in a non-political way, but that, is that, to be practical, is that even possible given this heightened environment?
KELLY: You're exactly right about that. Certainly our trip may be viewed by some as political, but that's why our focus will remain on families there, that we are not politicians. We're not weapons experts. We are family members and as such that's who we want to be with in Iraq.
KAGAN: And you say the people won't see it there. I have to tell you, we're getting some e-mail already from people who are writing in and saying these people should just stay in the U.S., the money they're spending to go to Iraq they should spend to help victims of violence right here in the United States.
KELLY: Yes, I think it's, there's victims of violence all over and hopefully this trip will somehow, in some way, alleviate violence around the world. I'm not saying that in an idealistic sense. But I'm saying that in the sense that it's almost a compelling thing to do, that to stand and watch what's unfolding is very difficult to do. And if there's some way that our group can add a voice in the plea for peace and request for alternatives, that's what we're setting out to do.
KAGAN: So you won't be meeting with any government officials?
KELLY: No, we plan not to meet with any government officials.
KAGAN: And you do realize you're going against the State Department's travel warning? They're saying Americans should not go there.
KELLY: Yes. And it's very, very concerning. There's, concerning even on a broader scale that there's so many places in the world right now that Americans cannot travel to because of this threat of violence and just random violence. That's very, very concerning. Ten years ago, it didn't seem to be that way. So I think that's something really for all Americans to think about, around the world what is the sentiment that is unfolding in the months to come.
KAGAN: In our final moment here, I want to go back to the man who has set you on this journey, and that is your brother Bill.
KELLY: Yes.
KAGAN: What do you think he would think about taking this journey? Would he support it or did he have different political views possibly that he would have a different opinion?
KELLY: Bill and I definitely had different political views and disagreed about many things and agreed about some. But bottom line is Bill has always been supportive of me and thinking and me doing what I thought was the right thing to do. So although we may have disagreed, I think my family especially has been very clear that if you feel in your conscience and in your heart this is the right thing to do, that they would be behind it and supportive of that. And in my own way this is a way to remember my brother and to honor his memory.
KAGAN: And certainly no matter where you travel, he is with you.
KELLY: He sure is.
Thank you.
KAGAN: Colleen Kelly, thanks for stopping by.
KELLY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Safe travels.
KELLY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 3, 2003 - 08:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: This weekend some relatives of 9/11 victims are heading for Iraq. Their goal is to meet other victims of violence and terrorism and make a plea for peace.
Colleen Kelly's brother Bill was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center. She's a founding member of the group, which is called September 11 Families For A Peaceful Tomorrow.
Colleen Kelly joins us right now here in New York.
Good morning.
Thanks for joining us.
COLLEEN KELLY, 9/11 FAMILIES FOR A PEACEFUL TOMORROW: Good morning.
Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: Tell me more about your trip, the purpose and who you plan to meet with when you're there.
KELLY: Well, our purpose is really to go and meet with Iraqi families who have suffered immensely in these past 10 and 20 years. We specifically want to meet with families. We feel as family members here in the United States who have been affected by September 11 that that's really who our counterparts are in Iraq and we'd like to hear their stories, see their faces and understand more about their lives.
KAGAN: And by going and meeting with these other people, are you hoping to put a face on the country of Iraq that people just tend to see Saddam Hussein's face?
KELLY: Exactly. I think one of the most touching things for me was reading the portraits of grief in the "New York Times" in the days and months after September 11 that showed us the very human face of those who were lost on September 11. For us, the trip hopefully will do a similar thing for the Iraqi people, put a face on their suffering and their stories so that in the future I will know people in Iraq should something happen.
KAGAN: Now, when you say a plea for peace, is that a plea to the Iraqis or a plea to the United States?
KELLY: That's a plea to everyone. We really are going in a non- political way. We'd like to go and appeal to anyone, certainly people of international stature who might be able to help in this situation. It seems to me that the average American and the average person around the world really doesn't want war. None of us do. If there's any way to help avoid this conflict through negotiations or some kind of a more peaceful resolution, that's the alternative that we're seeking and asking for.
KAGAN: You say you're going in a non-political way, but that, is that, to be practical, is that even possible given this heightened environment?
KELLY: You're exactly right about that. Certainly our trip may be viewed by some as political, but that's why our focus will remain on families there, that we are not politicians. We're not weapons experts. We are family members and as such that's who we want to be with in Iraq.
KAGAN: And you say the people won't see it there. I have to tell you, we're getting some e-mail already from people who are writing in and saying these people should just stay in the U.S., the money they're spending to go to Iraq they should spend to help victims of violence right here in the United States.
KELLY: Yes, I think it's, there's victims of violence all over and hopefully this trip will somehow, in some way, alleviate violence around the world. I'm not saying that in an idealistic sense. But I'm saying that in the sense that it's almost a compelling thing to do, that to stand and watch what's unfolding is very difficult to do. And if there's some way that our group can add a voice in the plea for peace and request for alternatives, that's what we're setting out to do.
KAGAN: So you won't be meeting with any government officials?
KELLY: No, we plan not to meet with any government officials.
KAGAN: And you do realize you're going against the State Department's travel warning? They're saying Americans should not go there.
KELLY: Yes. And it's very, very concerning. There's, concerning even on a broader scale that there's so many places in the world right now that Americans cannot travel to because of this threat of violence and just random violence. That's very, very concerning. Ten years ago, it didn't seem to be that way. So I think that's something really for all Americans to think about, around the world what is the sentiment that is unfolding in the months to come.
KAGAN: In our final moment here, I want to go back to the man who has set you on this journey, and that is your brother Bill.
KELLY: Yes.
KAGAN: What do you think he would think about taking this journey? Would he support it or did he have different political views possibly that he would have a different opinion?
KELLY: Bill and I definitely had different political views and disagreed about many things and agreed about some. But bottom line is Bill has always been supportive of me and thinking and me doing what I thought was the right thing to do. So although we may have disagreed, I think my family especially has been very clear that if you feel in your conscience and in your heart this is the right thing to do, that they would be behind it and supportive of that. And in my own way this is a way to remember my brother and to honor his memory.
KAGAN: And certainly no matter where you travel, he is with you.
KELLY: He sure is.
Thank you.
KAGAN: Colleen Kelly, thanks for stopping by.
KELLY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Safe travels.
KELLY: Thank you.
KAGAN: Thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
