Remembrance ceremonies planned for Sept. 11, amid controversy

On Sunday, Sept. 11, ceremonies will take place around Tioga County to include a dedication of the new memorial erected at Hickories Park in Owego, N.Y. – a memorial that has garnered national attention over the last week.

Earlier this year, the Town of Owego received pieces from the World Trade Center in an effort to memorialize the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

With the project estimated to cost $50,000, Owego’s Town Supervisor Donald Castellucci Jr. states that they need $20,000 more for the project that will be offset by a recent donation, to be announced. He also added that no taxpayer dollars would be utilized to pay for the memorial.

But with the memorial in place at the entrance to Hickories Park in Owego, N.Y., it did not come without some controversy regarding the engraved text.

In the center of the memorial, the plaque reads, “On September 11, 2001 nineteen Islamic terrorists unsuspectedly boarded four airliners departing east coast airports to hijack the planes and carry out a series of coordinated attacks against the United States. This is a tribute to all the lives lost that day and to the heroic sacrifice of all who rushed to help. As Americans, we honor their memory by living our lives in freedom. We will never forget.”

In the recent weeks, the Children of Abraham of the Southern Tier, from nearby Johnson City, N.Y. took offense to the wording, “Islamic Terrorists”, and stated to a local media outlet that this wording was a “broad brush against the many Muslims who live in the Southern Tier.”

We reached out to the interfaith organization for comment as well, but as of this reporting they have not responded.

Castellucci, who has been interviewed by several national news stations, stated in a telephone interview on Wednesday that while the wording may not be politically correct, it is accurate. Castellucci stated, “I don’t live in a politically correct world, I live in a historical fact world.”

Castellucci also pointed to the number nineteen, inscribed before the words “Islamic Terrorists”. “This represents that there were nineteen Islamic terrorists, and does not target the entire Islamic community in any fashion,” he added.

In the meantime, the Town of Owego is moving forward with plans to dedicate the memorial at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday at its location at Hickories Park in the Town of Owego. Castellucci said that the ceremony will be honoring a gentleman who died in the attacks that was from Apalachin, N.Y., and a bench in his name will be dedicated during the morning’s service. He noted that John Scott, the former Tioga County fire coordinator who died in a tragic accident earlier this year will also be honored.

As for the outcry from the local Islamic community, Castellucci stated that he isn’t expecting any problems, and stated, “We should have a mutual understanding and respect for what happened that day on September 11.”

Castellucci planned to reach out to the Islamic community organization upon his return to Owego this week. Castellucci also noted that the service and dedication on Sunday is being combined with the village of Owego, and that there won’t be a ceremony at the firemen’s fountain as in previous years – there will be one ceremony in Owego.

Also planned is a ceremony in Newark Valley. All are welcomed to the Newark Valley Green for a Remembrance of the sacrifice and heroes of 9/11 on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:45 a.m.