ALTHOUGH it's understandable that there were longstanding repercussions from the destruction of the World Trade Center and surrounding buildings, it has been far too long since any visible progress has been made.
When we look back at the attacks on Pearl Harbor before the United States entered the Second World War, we see that the Japanese crippled the U.S. Navy. Subsequently, the Navy bounded back and either repaired the damaged ships and bases or built new ones with astonishing speed. In short, the United States' industrial might was catalyzed tremendously from the catastrophic Japanese assault.
Curiously, the United States awesome resiliency in rebuilding is missing in New York City. The attacks on Pearl Harbor share more than just one resemblance with the attacks on Pearl Harbor: They were unprovoked and unexpected attacks on our homeland, and they were egregious acts of war.
Now, a new complication has risen amidst construction efforts. In recent days, the remains of 100 victims were recently discovered which might potentially delay construction. However, on close examination, this discovery shouldn't adversely affect the minimal progress made at all.
According to CNN, Bruce Rottner, a New York City Department of Development and Construction official, thought that the complaints they've been receiving to search for more possible remains will hamper construction efforts.
Rottner's response is rather asinine considering the fact that in roughly five years, there has been no apparent progress made in construction. In fact, until recently, project authorities for the construction of the Freedom Tower bickered incessantly over building design. Perhaps his concerns would carry more weight if I could check a construction Webcam online and see the beginnings of a new tower.
What should have been done several years earlier was a more thorough search for remains and a quicker removal of debris. Granted, there was an immense amount of rubble to remove. But with the kind of monumental effort seen after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, it's likely that this would've been possible.
Even more troubling is that Robert Gray, a construction worker at Ground Zero, told the AP that he felt as though the recovery efforts at was rushed. "They tried to run it as a business," Gray says.
Gray's observation highlights a major flaw in those charged with leading the reconstruction efforts. To treat a literal tomb of more than 2000 perished souls is absolutely insensitive and highly disrespectful. Gray's descriptions immediately evoked in my mind images of crude burial efforts. Like the Nazis, who tossed bodies of murdered people into holes and covered them with dirt, the NYC construction workers sealed shut piles of remains with layers of concrete for the building foundations, albeit unknowingly.
All these criticisms aside, New York City's DDC has done a great job expressing their patriotism by aptly naming the future building replacing the World Trade Center -- Freedom Tower. I'm sure New Yorkers would be more excited if they name the other buildings Democracy Center and Patriotism Palace.
But, in all seriousness, their patriotic spirit could be better expressed by offering condolences to the victims' relatives by doing all that is necessary to eliminate doubts that there might be undiscovered remains. Plus, those names represent a few things only: future buildings.
With hardly any progress, the DDC has few reasons to gripe. To hear officials complain about the loved ones of victims impeding construction efforts is wholly unacceptable. With an already painfully lethargic rate of construction, it's difficult to ascertain any significant difference to me or to New Yorkers whether construction is halted for a few more weeks to check for more remains. Construction officials can, however, undoubtedly make an enormous difference by recognizing the wishes of New Yorkers who might experience a sense of closure in what has been an awful, protracted ordeal.
Charles Lee's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at clee@cavalierdaily.com.
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