NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 919 18th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 email: hrc@hrc.org http://www.hrc.org September 20, 2001 Dear Human Rights Campaign Member, As a nation and a community, we are all working hard to comprehend and heal from the horrific events of Sept. 11. This unimaginable loss has struck at the very core of our sense of safety and order. Before the tragedy, even on a good day, many GLBT Americans felt unsafe or at least vulnerable in ways large and small. Now, that feeling has grown even more acute and has blanketed the nation. The wounds inflicted on our country will take time to heal as we struggle to come to terms with the uncertainty at hand. As we mourn the loss of every life, we note we have lost members of our community as well. A number of gay people, including members of the Human Rights Campaign, perished in these terrible tragedies. They include an American Airlines co-pilot on the flight that crashed into the Pentagon; a nurse from New Hampshire; a couple traveling with their 3-year-old son. We grieve for every life lost. But as we grieve, we should also allow ourselves to be inspired and lifted by stories of unmatched courage and caring by members of our community who perished: Father Mychal Judge, the New York Fire Department chaplain, who died while administering last rites to a fallen firefighter, and Mark Bingham, a San Francisco public relations executive, who helped thwart the hijackers on the United flight that crashed in Pennsylvania, thereby perhaps saving the Capitol, the White House or Camp David. In these ways and in ways we will never know, so many found courage and strength in their final moments on earth. Like others, our community knows all too well the devastating effects of hate. We have witnessed it firsthand. As a nation, our unity of experience and our shared pain also gives us the strength that renews our hope for the future. For some, the struggle to bring America even closer to the complete dream of equality for all has been a renewing notion. While we deeply mourn our loss, we must not allow this sacred quest to drift to any distant place in our lives. It has never been more important to remain strong because at its core, the very opportunity to seek full equality is what makes this nation great. So many people from so many walks of life were caught up in this horrific web of tragedy. No doubt in those final moments, all differences fell away. As we heal, we should remember that legacy. In the name of those who perished–and those they leave behind–we must carry on as a community and a nation. There is still much work to be done: a global cure for AIDS and breast cancer, fairness and equity for our families, safety and the opportunity to flourish for GLBT youth. We will heal as a nation. When we do, we will be stronger–and perhaps even more forgiving of our differences. Elizabeth Birch Executive Director Human Rights Campaign Back to Washington Whispers.