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"Remember and meditate." Three simple words. They were spoken Tuesday morning at the War Memorial Center by Gurmail Singh, the head priest of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. He spoke in his native tongue, but the words were then translated into English. They were part of a prayer Singh gave to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks who died 11 years ago in two World Trade Center towers, in a Pennsylvania farm field and in Virginia at the Pentagon. Singh asked those in attendance to take away the ignorance and hatred, the breeding grounds for violence. And he prayed that the world unite as a human family. On a bright and sunny September morning, a Tuesday just as it was 11 years ago, Singh and other members of the Sikh community gathered in solidarity with law enforcement, firefighters and military men and women as well as passers-by to remember the terror attacks. It was a poignant moment as Singh and other members of their faith community sat in respect and gratitude for the first responders who came to their aid when a gunman with hate in his soul opened fire at their house of worship on Aug. 5 in Oak Creek. But they were also there to share in the grief and memory of those who died at the hands of terrorists. At Tuesday's ceremony were Gov. Scott Walker, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Walker recalled a family trip to New York so his two sons, Alex and Matt, could see ground zero for themselves. He said he wanted them to think about lives lost and lives lived. "The best way we can honor the dead is to serve the living," Walker said. Eleven years ago, Abele was in Sarajevo on a trip when he got word of the attacks back home. He said foreigners came to him with tears in their eyes, sorry that the United States, a nation of ideas and ideals, had been attacked. "The world needs to know that ideas can work and be valued," Abele said. Barrett was a congressman getting ready for a busy day in Washington. He heard about the attacks when his sister telephoned him from Milwaukee. The Capitol was quickly evacuated, Barrett recalled. That night, congressmen and senators, members of both parties, gathered back in the Capitol to demonstrate resolve. "Everyone who was there was there as an American," Barrett said. "It was a time when our nation came together," he added. "And I believe we can do it again." Six wreaths in remembrance of the victims of Sept. 11 were laid in their honor. The wreaths, representing fallen firefighters, police officers, military officers, civilians and others were laid by Col. Mike Tobin, a retired Army serviceman; Elvis Lock, a Milwaukee police officer; Sgt. Brandy Lester of the Milwaukee County sheriff's office; Milwaukee Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing; Milwaukee County Airport Fire Department Chief Paul Menches; and Thomas Olszewski of the Milwaukee County Transit System. All six stood in front of an outdoor reflecting pool, bent to their knees and laid the wreaths in the cool, clear water. As the wreaths floated, Inga Barry stood nearby with tears streaming down her cheeks. On that terrible day, she had just gotten off the subway in New York, headed for her office on the 64th floor of Tower One in Manhattan. She noticed how quiet it was. "New York is never quiet," she said softly. "The tower was literally just hit." Barry, originally from New York, lives in Milwaukee now with her husband, Christian, and their two children. She goes to a memorial for Sept. 11 victims every year. But she and her family are moving to Istanbul on Oct. 1. As she spoke, she began to cry again. "In Turkey, they won't have ceremonies like this," she said. Perhaps not. But Barry still wants Americans to remember what happened, especially young people. "Our country is about our children," she said. On Tuesday, Walker ordered flags to be lowered in remembrance of Sept. 11. "Today, Wisconsin mourns the tragedy that took place on September 11, 2001. It is important to remember the price individuals have paid for the freedoms we enjoy today," he said. "When those who want to destroy our nation senselessly kill innocent civilians, we respond by banding together and moving forward." |