Saic Speaks Out
The following statements were submitted to F News by members of the SAIC community in response to the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.
For two years I lived and worked among Muslims: one year in East Jerusalem (the Palestinian side of the city) and one year in Morocco. In both places I met, shared meals with, and sometimes interviewed as many people as I could: janitors, bus drivers, shopkeepers, students, professors. I have received wonderful messages of condolence from a number of these people in response to the tragedy of September 11 and would like to share one response that I find typical.
"Dear Barbara, I am writing to express my deep shock at the barbarous attacks on New York. I have visited New York, and seeing some of its intrinsic landmarks demolished fills me with anger and sadness. I thank God you are far from the attacked areas. The tragedy could have happened to you and me when we were visiting the Tower of Chicago [the Sears Tower]. Those who commit such crimes cannot be human." from Khalid Bekkaoui, resident of Fez, Morocco.
I wish every American could realize that any true Muslim would be as upset by the violence suffered last week as my friend is. I commend the SAIC community for the wonderful combination of caring and level-headedness that I have seen.
-Barbara Guenther
Chair, Liberal Arts
H.C. Westermann: Prophecy and Healing
Given the horrific destruction of human life this week, H.C. Westermann's prolific, historic, and autobiographical drawings, sculptures and paintings, currently at the MCA, take on an even more ominous and eerie role, that of prophecy.
Again and again, Westermann confronts us with work that bespeaks the destructive and misguided nature of the human condition. This is evident not only in his many "death ships," but in the recurring kamikaze, suicide, smoke, fire and brimstone imagery. Westermann served in WWII as a Marine gunner aboard the USS Enterprise where he and his ship endured repeated kamikaze attacks that resulted in extensive death and destruction.
Although Westermann's choice of subject matter implies we are doomed to violence and isolation, his choice to create finely crafted and often humorous work despite the ugliness he observed asserts hope exists alongside evil and therefore there is the possibility of healing.
-Debra Tolchinsky
MFA painting and drawing
I believe the appropriate response for artists to make to terrorist destruction is to CREATE. Create beauty, create kindness, create (or recreate) communities.
ANCESTOR
After the war,
the plague,the famine
After the earthquake,
fire and flood,
Someone got up,
scratched his head
Hitched the scrawny ox
to the rusty plow
Turned the soil, planted the roots,
Scattered the barley, sang the songs
To keep himself and the old
ox moving.
When the harvest came in, he relearned how to smile.
ANCESTOR II
After the end of the world
she knew
She dug the last onions out
of the bin
Gathered the nettles,
boiled the soup
To feed her man and the
neighbor girl
They'd taken in when the
soldiers left
She lighted the candles,
sang the songs
To keep herself and the old
man moving
When the baby was born, she
remembered how to laugh
-Margaret J. Nelson
folk singer, teacher of puppet making, and a professional
art model for SAIC
I believe in the strength of solidarity and the power of creating with thought and intention. I would like to suggest that an hour time slot (for starters) be chosen to center on a thought as a community. For example, to focus on international dialogue with a peaceful resolution or similar non-violent concept.
-Rosella Mosteller
student
The image that I cannot get out of my mind is that of people jumping off the World Trade Center towers. What I keep thinking is that each of those people took in what was happening in the offices where they stood and EACH ONE DECIDED that their best option was to jump 90+ stories to their unbearable deaths. EACH ONE CHOSE that jumping off of one of the world's tallest buildings was better than remaining where they were and withstanding what they knew was fast approaching. What was the alternative that so many people chose to flee? That anyone would ever have to make such a harrowing decision, just breaks my heart. No one should ever have to experience something that unspeakable.
-Kristie Bradley
undergraduate senior
My day yesterday was scary. I guess the terrorists did their job if they wanted to scare a lot of people. I woke up and was getting ready for work when I saw on the news, the report of a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center Towers. I thought that maybe it was a mistake, I said to my husband "Who would get that close to NYC in their flight plan?" It was really shocking but that was the first domino.
As I walked in to work, here in Evanston, people were chatting about the news. We tried to listen to NPR, and then to watch the television in the board room, which had terrible reception. The news and a lot of rumors were pouring in. My boss left the building with a couple of others who went to our second work building to see CNN. I gallantly tried to stay and work, though no one was working, no one could get their minds off of what was happinging all over our country. I imagined my father-in-law in the air, a pilot for Delta Airlines, either flying one of the four hijacked planes, and two of my best friends who work in NYC in the chaos.
As soon as we settled in to see news reports with the few remaining co-workers that didn't leave, security guards and janitors in my building told us to "GET OUT NOW." I didn't know what was happening, I did get a chance to call my husband and ask him to pick me up. I thought Chicago was next to be attacked and I wanted to be with him. He said he could get me in an hour.
As I got to the elevators to leave work (about 10:30a.m.), I was informed by other co-workers that our building had a bomb threat, and that was why we had to leave. Knowing I had to wait for my husband to get me, I didn't know where to go. Hearing about so many terrible things, and thinking there might not be an end to it, I was fully expecting something to happen here.
In the hour I waited for Adam to pick me up I looked down at my hands. Every time my hands were shaking and shaking. Strangers on the street were striking up conversations about the events of the day.
Adam picked me up and we were both in shock and the only thing we could do was talk about it. We eventually went home and verified if our friends were ok, and if Adam's father was allright. We watched the news all day and into the night.
Now that I think back to yesterday, driving home and looking at the neighborhoods, houses, and lawns, and driveways, and mailboxes, and American flags, I noticed that the people walking past were silent. They were serious. They were in a silent rage.
-Amy Beth Payne (Geerling)
SAIC alum, 1994-1998
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