THE WEEK OF JANUARY 17, 2002
Letters from readers are invited and must be accompanied by the writer’s name and neighborhood,
which will be withheld upon request. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.
All letters are subject to editing.

To alter or not to alter
Dear Editors:
 I would like to respectfully suggest that the first sentence of your editorial last week laid the groundwork for a dissenting opinion.
You referred to the camera capturing defining moments in history. The editorial included the amazing photograph of the three firemen raising an American flag at Ground Zero as one of them. And that therefore when sculpted into stone, it should not have been altered to achieve racial balance.
I do agree that the photograph should stand as taken; the photographer captured a response that we as Americans look at with deep pride. The thought I do have, however, is that if a memorial was to be sculpted for FDNY headquarters, as might be done for the NYPD in the future, perhaps more thought should go into the definition we leave as a legacy.
Anyone who has studied WW II knows that there were regimens of black soldiers who fought for this country, only to return home and face not only discrimination, but a lack of recognition for their heroics.
It took decades for honors to be bestowed, often posthumously. Had we allowed how we define our heroes to resemble America 50 years ago, recognition would never have come. And the children of America, who need to know the dimensions of American pride and patriotism, need to see a true reflection.
I do not believe in altering, but I do believe in inclusion and responsibility, particularly when it is cast in stone. Unlike the Taliban, we do not shatter our sculptures; we hope for them to endure and inspire.
Ann Michitsch
Glendale

Another view
Dear Editors:
 Your editorial discussing the issues surrounding the monument of the flag being raised at the World Trade Center is important and relevant to American history.
Sadly, we live at a time in American history where the the word “American” is scrutinized by the same authorities who wish for us to embrace our patriotism and our love of this country.
When the attacks took place, for several months the country was united as one nation under God. However, time has dictated otherwise, and we find ourselves now being told our love of this country is irrelevant and in many ways unacceptable.
For any organization to feel the need to re-write history to cater to politically correct agendas is insulting to the many men, women and children who were killed on September 11. It denotes a need for a country to disregard the who we are as a people for how they want future generations to see us.
Any race or creed uncomfortable with the depiction of reality should be held suspect as to their willingness to be Americans. The decision by the firefighters to raise the flag was a gesture of compassion for all those lost here and in Washington, D.C. For their act to be re-written is further a result of how much this country relies on political appearances instead of patriotic gestures of one’s love of country.
A campaign should be organized whereby a life-size picture of the actual raising of the flag is placed alongside the statue. Future generations should be made aware that we embrace reality in this country. We do not give credence to adaptations of what some officials believe represents their vision of the truth.
If anyone is offended by the truth, perhaps they need to ask themselves wherein lies the reasons for so much unrest and prejudice in this country. They may discover their willingness to see the truth insulted has given them a false sense of security.
Our country depends on our leaders to be honest and truthful about all things which represent us as a people. We now have a statue which tells us there are limits to how honest and truthful the government and the authorities of our city and nation are willing to be.
Craig Schwab
Glendale

What about women?
Dear Editors:
 I’m writing in regards to the statue in honor of the rescue workers who died on September 11, 2001.
The statue is based on a picture of three white firefighters raising an American flag at Ground Zero in Manhattan. A group of people recently made a fuss because all three firefighters were white. They demanded a black firefighter be depicted as well—and that’s fine. But now the statue is to be built including a white, black and hispanic firefighter.
I want to know: Why isn’t a woman being depicted as well? Women died as heroes as well that day and continue to risk their lives in the war overseas against terrorism.
Where is our tribute?
Dawn M. Guardino
Middle Village