As the U.S. is observing its 250th year as a nation, we are also marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This means that one tenth of U.S. history has taken place under a “War on Terror” framework. An orientation to the world that human rights experts and legal scholars called,
[A] global war against an amorphous set of enemies [designed] to bypass the constraints of international law on wartime authorities. This paradigm fed on fear and politicians’ expressed desire to guarantee that terrorism would not affect Americans at home again. In the process, the government imposed discriminatory and harmful policies, primarily against Muslims and communities of color at home and abroad, and fueled bigotry and stigma.
The last two and a half decades of both Republican and Democratic administrations in Washington have been characterized by endless wars, the use of torture, indefinite detention (first at Guantanamo, now in ICE facilities), and the killings of suspected “terrorists” without any judicial process. Drug cartels and traffickers are now labelled foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and “narco-terrorists” are summarily murdered at sea.
As UFPJ founding member organization, Veterans For Peace reflected on the 9/11 anniversary:
Unfortunately, instead of using the tragic events of 9/11 as an opportunity to examine U.S. foreign policy and why it led to such a dreadful day and enormous loss of life, our political and military leaders chose to use the deaths of thousands to justify more destruction and killing. They launched a campaign of revenge in Afghanistan, escalated the already decade-long war in Iraq, expanded war to Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, and Libya, and eventually involved 76 nations.
Including, most recently, an illegal war in Iran.
And, on September 11, 2026, thirty-three UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights issued a joint statement decrying how this framework has spread worldwide with devastating consequences for human rights, civil society, civic space, democracy, and the rule of law
With this history in mind, the members of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, a founding member of UFPJ, planned its observation of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. It included three separate segments: a rally at Union Square Park, a peace walk to Ground Zero, and a silent candlelight vigil at the 9/11 Memorial.
The rally was emceed by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! Jeremy Varon, author of the new history Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War: The Movement to Stop the War on Terror, offered some opening remarks about Peaceful Tomorrows’ advocacy and activism. Then, one by one, members of Peaceful Tomorrows, standing in front of the statue of Gandhi in the southwest corner of the park, read from the organization’s “Mission and Goals” and then recognized a person and organization that had been one of its vital partners over the years.
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows’ Mission:
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is an organization founded by family members of those killed on September 11th who have united to turn our grief into action for peace. By developing and advocating nonviolent options and actions in the pursuit of justice, we hope to break the cycles of violence engendered by war and terrorism. Acknowledging our common experience with all people affected by violence throughout the world, we work to create a safer and more peaceful world for everyone.
Goal #1, is “To promote dialogue on alternatives to war, while educating and raising the consciousness of the public on issues of war, peace, and the underlying causes of terrorism.”
Colleen Kelly, whose brother William Kelly, Jr died in the WTC, described the “Walk for Peace and Healing,” where founding members of Peaceful Tomorrows met, and how they drafted the Mission and Goals on the back of a napkin over beers at the White Horse Tavern at the conclusion of the walk. It was Kathy Kelly (no relation) from Voices for Creative Nonviolence who organized that walk. Kathy recalled her many years of travelling to Iraq and the efforts to prevent the Bush Administration from going to war in 2003. Later, when the Obama Administration declared the War in Afghanistan still legitimate, Kathy turned to advocating for Afghan women’s rights and lawful government in Afghanistan, efforts members of Peaceful Tomorrows have joined.
Terry Greene, whose brother Donald Greene died on Flight 93 next read Goals #2: “To support and offer fellowship to others seeking non-violent responses to all forms of terrorism, both individual and institutional.” She introduced Elik Elhanan from the Parent’s Circle—Families Forum and Combatants for Peace. Elik, who served in a special forces unit in the Israel Defense Forces from 1995 – 1998, became a military refuser after his 14-year old sister was killed by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem. He is a longtime member of the Parents Circle-Families Forum, as is his father Rami Elhanan. Elik is also a co-founder of the Israeli-Palestinian group Combatants for Peace, which he described as being inspired by Veterans For Peace (whose flags were prominent in the crowd at Union Square).
Bill Tammeus, whose nephew Carlton Fyfe died in the WTC, next shared Goal #3: “To call attention to threats to civil liberties, human rights, and other freedoms in the U.S. as a consequence of war.” He introduced Daisy Khan, founder of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), a global network promoting peacebuilding, gender equality, and human dignity, and a leader on Muslim women’s rights and in America. Daisy spoke about the decades of grassroots work against anti-Muslim bias that she has carried out, often in partnership with members of Peaceful Tomorrows’ Countering Islamophobia Committee.
Anne Mulderry, whose son Stephen Mulderry died in the WTC, then read Goal #4: “To acknowledge our fellowship with all people affected by violence and war, recognizing that the resulting deaths are overwhelmingly civilian.” She introduced Masuda Sultan, an Afghan-America peace and women’s rights activist and the author of My War at Home. Masuda was one of Peaceful Tomorrows’ earliest partners, when four of the organization’s founding members traveled to Afghanistan in January of 2002, to bear witness to the families suffering from the deaths of their innocent, civilian relatives.
Aidan Salamone, whose father John Salamone died in the WTC, then shared Goal #5: “To encourage a multilateral, collaborative effort to bring those responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks to justice in accordance with the principles of international law.” Aidan then introduced Frida Berrigan, one of the founders of Witness Against Torture (WAT), a UFPJ member organization. Together they described the grave miscarriage of justice that has characterized the Guantanamo detention facilities and the Military Commissions at the Guantanamo Naval Base. There has been no justice and accountability for the crimes of September 11, 2001, and the U.S. government is saying that a trial of the men accused of planning and supporting the attacks may begin in 2028. But during the past twenty-four and a half years, more than 750 Muslim men and boys have been wrongfully detained at Guantanamo, many of them tortured. WAT has been a great ally of Peaceful Tomorrows in denouncing torture and working to Close Guantanamo.
Terry Rockefeller, whose sister Laura Rockefeller died in the WTC, next read Goal #6: “To promote U.S. foreign policy that places a priority on internationally-recognized principles of human rights, democracy and self-rule.” After focusing, in particular, on the Bush Administration’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003, Terry introduced Michael Zweig, a Co-Convener of US Labor Against the War (USLAW), also a founding UFPJ member organization, and organizer of “Meeting Face to Face: the Iraq – U.S. Labor Solidarity Tour.” Following the Solidarity Tour, USLAW successfully campaigned to get the AFL-CIO to oppose the War in Iraq. Peaceful Tomorrows and USLAW both worked with the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative to support Iraqi human rights activists, labor leaders, feminists, and environmentalist to achieve power and legitimacy in their country.
Peaceful Tomorrows’ Goal #7 is, “To demand ongoing investigations into the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks that took the lives of our loved ones, including exhaustive examinations of U.S. foreign policies and national security failures.” Terry Rockefeller explained that Peaceful Tomorrows has no single partner for this final goal. Peaceful Tomorrows’ members hope that all peace and Justice activists will look hard at the U.S. foreign policy and national security failures that have taken place in the 25 years since 9/11. Terry concluded by observing that years after Peaceful Tomorrows was founded, it continues to attract new, younger members, giving us confidence that we will face these challenges.
Liz Miller, Peaceful Tomorrows’ Current Project Director, whose father, Douglas C. Miller, a firefighter, died at the WTC when she was only six years old, then asked everyone to join us on our walk to Ground Zero, “Standing Together for Peace.” Luke Nephew of the Peace Poets led the crowd off with words and songs of peace.
The sun set as the marchers reached Ground Zero. Each person was given an e-candle and asked to silently circle the 9/11 Memorial, bearing witness to the lives lost on 9/11 and in the twenty-five years since.
