A 9/11 reflection: Light a candle for peace tonight
On September 11, 2001, I was in Johannesburg, South Africa, nearing the end of a three-week trip to the country. I'd started in Cape Town, attending the 100th anniversary service of St. George's Cathedral — the site of many anti-apartheid vigils and a sanctuary space for anti-apartheid activists during those traumatic years. Then I traveled to Durban to attend the World Conference Against Racism, joining an amazing gathering of thousands of people representing governments, NGOs, and people's movements from across the world. Unfortunately, the U.S. government boycotted the conference, so it was left to activists like me to "represent" the U.S. voice there.
Then I went onward to Johannesburg to meet with some religious leaders and community groups before my planned trip home on September 13th. I was staying at the home of my friend Dylan in the infamous inner-city neighborhood of Yeoville. On the 11th, I had gone to meet with some religious community leaders in the central part of the city, and then returned to Dylan's apartment. At about 3 p.m. his roommate received a phone call from a friend, which was relayed to me as "The World Trade Center has just been the site of an explosion!" I responded, "No, that must be a mix-up, there was a bombing there several years ago." But we turned on the television to see what this was all about.
A few minutes later, we watched in shock, live, as the second plane hit the other tower. Later on I found out that I knew two people who died in the towers. I'd played in a downtown basketball tournament with Stephen. I'd worked in the same office as Michael. There are others I learn about all the time — just today I learned that a fellow student at Wesleyan University, a few years older than me, was another casualty. My brother, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law were all supposed to be in the buildings or within a couple blocks that day, but their plans changed — like so many other such stories we've heard through the years.
I had previously agreed to be the "keynote speaker" the next morning at a school in Eldorado Park, Soweto. I was friends with the principal's brother, and had already been nervous about the prospect of addressing hundreds of teenagers. I don't know if I said anything of value on September 12th — probably not, as I was in such a state of concern for those I knew and loved back in the U.S. — but I wish I'd known then of the historic connection to that same city 95 years earlier. On September 11, 1906, Mahatma Gandhi launched the "satyagraha" nonviolent movement — in Johannesburg.
As I think back to 2001, to my emotions at that moment and in the following days — I was on the first plane to leave Johannesburg for Europe, and the first plane to fly from Paris to New York City — I remember how it was at once shocking and unsurprising. And I remember how moved I was to hear that members of families of those who died pleaded that the U.S. not respond in kind — the work of 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows continues to inspire me — and the words of compassion and support from people in other nations, especially the Islamic world. I received messages of care and friendship from people I knew in many countries which mirrored those "official" statements that were sent to our nation's leaders.
Now, today, we see continuing efforts by people from different worlds to bring us together across our lines of political, geographic, and religious division. I'd like to lift up three examples from this week.
1) Two nights ago I attended a Ramadan Iftar "Banquet of Love" ceremony organized by Faith House in New York City and the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Community. More than 50 of us from diverse faith communities gathered together for the call to prayer, the breaking of the fast, a beautiful prayer service, and a delicious meal. This gathering took place about two miles north of the site of the terrorist attacks, and reflects the continuing efforts of many people since 2001 to understand one another — and especially of non-Muslims to engage Islam — and to build community in ways that we had not previously done.
2) Tonight — in front of the White House; at FOR's headquarters in Nyack NY; and in other communities nationwide — FOR is cosponsoring a "Light the Night for Peace and Friendship" series of candlelight vigils, organized by American Muslim Voice. I invite you, too, to join us in this call for peace and interfaith solidarity by lighting a candle this evening, perhaps in the privacy of your own home, perhaps in the company of others.
3) Tomorrow, the Axis of Friendship, an initiative to build deeper, lasting relationships between the peoples of Iran and the United States, is holding its second annual observance. Communities around our nation and the world are invited to ring bells and hold a minute of silence as an expression of goodwill and peace between peoples, especially our conflicted nations. Read this inspiring interview with Axis of Friendship co-founder Rita Nakashima Brock, published today by DisciplesWorld.
