Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can. — Thomas Carlyle
The American Revolution was the result of men and women who did all that they could, year after year, against the longest odds, until they had secured their independence. A flabby and corrupt king was no match for our visionary and selfless founders. So what would they think of citizens who would let flabby and corrupt politicians rob us of the World Trade Center we deserve? Not much.
They were prepared to fight hard for what they wanted, but we don’t seem to think anything is worth fighting for or that we have what it takes. That’s why a video like this, sent in for July 4th by Travis Dixon, an ardent supporter in Texas, is so valuable. Inspiration is a great antidote for the poison of lethargy.
The Twin Towers inspire such devotion. They were and are the quintessential symbol of brotherhood and solidarity. If there were such a thing as an inspiration-meter, the current project wouldn’t even register a blip. It is so utterly unworthy of our country, our people, and the terrible price we paid for being Americans.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…
Lost Causes
“You know that you fight for the lost causes harder than for any others…”
– Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
When the Declaration of Independence was signed, the United States of America looked like the ultimate lost cause. But patriots summoned the courage and devotion to keep fighting until they were victorious. It was just a matter of time.
Now it is our turn to take a stand. We don’t have to give our lives, but we do have to reject the “can’t fight City Hall” nonsense. And no one is better at that than young people — or those of any age who retain the idealism of youth.
We will send the video tributes on this page to the President and Congressional leaders on a DVD that will accompany our book “Let It Begin Here,” with over a thousand of the thousands of comments on the Twin Towers Alliance site by the 9th anniversary of 9/11.
Many letters and essays have been sent to us over the years, and for some reason, they are always from teenage boys. “Rebuilding the Twin Towers Transcends Politics” stands out, because it was the first one we received, as well as the first time that the linkage was made between the battle for the Twin Towers and the classic film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
In that drama, as well as this one, young men and boys played a central role. The parallels are very clear. Cynicism and corruption are always there to challenge our principles and chisel our characters, but courage and dedication will prevail. And then our happy ending will be a gain for everyone, because even those who have stood in the way of new Twin Towers will be enriched when they are back where they belong. We really believe it’s just a matter of time…
The first video is the work of Alex Slingsby, a delightful young man who is studying Communications in East Yorkshire, England. We hope to raise the money needed to buy the footage so he can clean off the watermarks before we send it to the President, but even in its current form it is inspiring and wonderfully touching.
The second video was crafted by William Justice, a musician and college student from Alabama, who plans to study acting and one day be a New Yorker. Of course, he and Alex and Tony and Ali and so many others are already New Yorkers in spirit. William has a finger on the pulse of the nation and a heart of gold.
The third video was created by Tony Grayson of Indiana. Tony descibes himself as Native American, black and white. He will start college next year to prepare himself “to do something worthy” with his life — he hopes, in New York.. He is off to a great start… Watch it in HQ mode… it is a work of art.
There are dozens of other videos on the fabulous YouTube playlist that was compiled by Ali al-Roubaie, another English teenager who lives in London and plans to begin studying Architecture this year. Ali remembers what it felt like at age 8 to have his nose pressed up against the glass at the Top of the World. He wants millions of future eight-year-old boys to feel it, too.
He and Tony Grayson are performing a real labor of love by gathering all the videos together. We will be looking through it, as time permits, and may choose another one or two to add to the White House DVD. If anything is added, it will be included above. The playlist is a real treasury and we are going to be excluding some very worthy efforts, just through lack of time and space. But everything on the playlist is part of an historic effort.
This clip from Mr. Smith Goes To Washington makes the context for this page come alive.
We will conclude with an essay that Tony Grayson posted on YouTube along with his video. It is a fine example of what this fight represents for people who are just starting out in life. It begins with the quote at the top of this page and continues:
After 9/11, I can clearly remember how I was affected by it. Among many things, I felt a sense of emptiness in myself, something that still lies inside of me today. The Twin Towers were taken from us in a horrific act of evil, but we can bring them back with courage and determination, countering that evil in an amazing, brave, symbolic way.
What is keeping us from seeing the Twin Towers again? It is the greediness and selfishness of those in charge. They refuse to listen, so we must show them that they aren’t all-powerful and that united we can correct what is wrong.
What is wrong? The current plan for the World Trade Center, being built as we speak. The people were kept in the dark, not aware that there was an alternative to the current plan. The Twin Towers II plan is amazing, far more iconic, far less expensive, symbolic, brave and in all respects, superior to the current plan that consists of the Freedom Tower, the overly expensive memorial and several other components that do not fit the city and symbolize greed and fear.
This fight to see the Twin Towers rise once again is challenging the failure to listen. If those in charge would just open their eyes, listen to the people and stop worrying about themselves, we could see the Twin Towers rise once again. The answer is not to give in to those in charge and accept defeat. By doing that, we let the terrorists reign victorious over New York and change what once was there for all to see, for all to admire.
Do not give up hope. Hope is the foundation of all dreams, of all that is good. When America fought the British in the Revolutionary War, we were outnumbered in every way. They were the greatest army on Earth and we were a new nation, not even fully explored. We could have easily given up against the British, but we did not. We united and defeated the adversary. The people won against the great power.
We, the people, have the power. We have the power to change this situation and to do what is right. We can see the Twin Towers better than ever before, standing brave, tall and strong above us. Do not give up your hope or the fight!
