Letters to the editor

Tower symbolizes fear

To The Editor:

Re “Changes for the worse at the Freedom Tower” (Talking Point, July 15 – 21):

It is as if David Stanke wrote exactly what I have had on my mind since the day when the new design for the tower was made public. The blundering path the Freedom Tower has been forced to take is a disgrace to the victims that suffered a horrible and cruel death on 9/11, and to the families that survived them. The Freedom Tower should have been a phoenix instilled more with symbolism of all things good and proud, than with fear. The political machine that has been driving this, now hopeless evolution is shameful.

As does Mr. Stanke, I too live mere blocks away from what is now referred to as Ground Zero; what is, in theory, to be the egg that through nurture shall eventually crack and give life to a new and wonderful creature. But the egg grows viler each day due to the poor planning and lack of cooperation between all the parties involved in the project. I worry now what will spawn out of this increasingly rotting egg.

I feel New Yorkers are afraid to speak out, in part because they feel it is not their right to comment or judge a project that should cater more to the wants and needs of the victims’ families than their neighborhood’s welfare. However I do believe that New Yorkers have a right to an open opinion given that this project will change the face of the city we live in for many, many years. The right thing needs to be done. This project needs to be shelved and rethought. Fear is not the message New York should convey. The message should be one of coming out on top through ingenuity. In other words, finding a solution that is safe without sacrificing what should be the most important element of the project: the symbolism and the footprint that is intended to be left in the soul of every person that in the future will visit the new landmark.

Gonzalo Arenas

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