Trivial Pursuits

Last Updated: 2/20/14 at 12:05 PM

The current scandal surrounding Governor Christie and the George Washington Bridge debacle should disturb everyone, no matter what his or her political stripe. But what troubles us at the Twin Towers Alliance more than the abuse of power by aides of the governor is that the same politicians and the same journalists who are so disturbed about this episode have turned a blind eye to the colossal abuse of power that has been going on for more than a dozen years at Ground Zero.

That is not hyperbole. We have done the research that will convincingly establish it. For the first six years of our campaign, from late 2005 thru 2010, the Twin Towers Alliance was focused on leaving no stone unturned in our effort to get people talking about what the Silent Majority (in reality, the Silenced Majority) wanted to see rebuilt at Ground Zero. It is amazing to look back on all the prominent people we reached out to. We gave each one a 100% effort, because we knew it would only take one brave man or woman to change the odds — but we never came across a single one who dared to show the courage of their convictions.

Ken Gardner, the designer of “Twin Towers II” often quoted Robert Kennedy’s observation that political courage is rarer than valor on the battlefield. Sad to say, that extends beyond politicians to journalists and civic leaders because it’s all politics these days. Nevertheless, we are more positive than ever that this is a fight worth fighting. Since 2010, we have been engaged in the often laborious process of using the Freedom of Information and Open Public Meetings laws to investigate what has been done at Ground Zero and how.

It is incredibly sad to watch the media get so worked up when there is a political or sensational component, while failing to sound the alarm as David Samson, Bill Baroni, Pat Foye, and those who came before them (particularly Christopher Ward,) and the governors they’ve served sold America short at the World Trade Center — every one of them.