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Giuliani: Cutting Off His Nose to Spite His Face
By Dilshad D. Ali
17/10/2001
A person can do a world of good; but when he or she does something wrong, it is upon that which people invariably tend to dwell. It's an age-old adage that rings true today, especially with the case of New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. Here is a man with a complicated political psyche forced to handle a very difficult and sad situation forever etched in the minds of Americans.
In the past month, Giuliani has gained a lot of support and respect because of his dignified and empathetic management of the terrible tragedy that fell upon New York. Some would even say he transcended his old reputation as the "mean" and "visceral" mayor of New York.
But just as New York was getting used to the "new" Giuliani, he took a big, deliberate step back into the "old" Giuliani with one swift, decisive and foolishly impulsive move.
Last week, Giuliani took Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud - a nephew of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and one of the world's richest men - on a tour of Ground Zero where the World Trade Center once stood. After the somber tour, Talal gave the mayor a check for $10 million for the Twin Towers Fund, a charity set up by Giuliani for the families of uniformed workers who died in the attacks, some of whom are Muslim and/or Arab.
The Mayor initially accepted the check with a letter from the Prince expressing his sorrow and condemning the terrorist attacks. The prince emphasized "Saudi Arabia's strong stance against these tragic and horrendous acts."
Later Giuliani read a press statement (attributed to the prince) that stated, in part, that the United States should reexamine its foreign policy:
However, at times like this one, we must address some of the issues that led to such a criminal attack. I believe the government of the United States of America should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stance towards the Palestinian cause. … Our Palestinian brethren continue to be slaughtered at the hands of Israelis while the world turns the other cheek.
Because of unabashed sentiments that are shared by so many other people - Muslims and non-Muslims the world over - Giuliani rejected the check, a check that surely could have done a world of good for the families of WTC victims.
Is this not a country that touts the freedom of speech? Are we not entitled to our own thoughts and opinions? Are foreign dignitaries not allowed to offer some advice and express opinions to our country? The answer to these questions, based on Giuliani's reaction, seems to be "no".
In addition to rejecting the check, Giuliani issued a response to the prince's statement. In it he said, "There is no moral equivalent for this act. The people who did it lost any right to ask for justification for it when they slaughtered 4,000 or 5,000 innocent people. And to suggest that there's a justification for it only invites this happening in the future. It is highly irresponsible and very, very dangerous."
Since when did a statement expressing an opinion on U.S. foreign policies become validation for the attack? When did "addressing some issues" turn into justification? Talk about twisting words around.
I know that most Americans don't want to think about the issues that most likely led to the attacks. They want to stay focused on the anger and rage born from the horrible deaths of some 5000 innocent civilians. They want revenge, justice, and compensation.
I'm an American also, as well as a New Yorker. I understand those feelings - I feel them myself. Those who committed these horrendous attacks should be held responsible.
But we can't live in a fishbowl. We can't keep thinking that the enemies of America are the "enemies of freedom," as stated by President George W. Bush in his September 20th address to the U.S. Congress. "Why do the terrorists hate us?" Bush asked. "They hate our freedoms - our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other," he answered himself.
Are you kidding me? It isn't America's freedoms "they" - whoever "they" are - hate. We have to examine the events and feelings, which have been snowballing for years, that led up to this living nightmare - including reconsidering America's immense support of Israel. And to reject help from anyone who suggests we do just that is plain wrong. I'm not alone in saying this.
In a letter to the New York Times, Donald W. Fowle wrote, "The mayor's impulsive act sent a message to all Arabs not to bother trying to help the city, and to the Bush administration not to re-examine its foreign policy. … Shouldn't we constantly re-examine our foreign policy? Any responsible government does the latter."
Rich McDonough from Lexington, Massachusetts, wrote to the New York Post saying that to return the check was "another display of American arrogance and a complete failure to recognize why some Arab states hate America."
Why doesn't Giuliani get this? Examining issues and events that may have led to the attacks is not an "endorsement of the terrorists' principles," as stated by Chip Joyce in another letter to the
New York Times. It's just too bad and too sad that New York's mayor doesn't understand this simple fact. Those families whose loved ones perished in the WTC attacks surely could have used the $10 million.
Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud said later that Jewish pressure caused Giuliani to reject his donation. We may never know all the private pressures placed on the mayor to make his decision.
It is interesting to note, however, that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon praised Giuliani for rejecting the check.
But despite the snub, the prince still commended Giuliani, saying he did a "spectacular job" handling the aftermath of the attacks.
And I agree. But Giuliani is not perfect. That seems to be quite obvious now.
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