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UNCIVIL TO GIULIANI

Uncivil To Giuliani

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to Deputy Chief Jim Riches's essay on July 18, 2007, as excerpted in your July 27 letters column. Some years ago, Professor Stephen Carter of Yale University, a widely acclaimed author, wrote an insightful book called "Civility." The premise of the book states that Americans, especially American professionals, are lacking civility in their interactions with other American professionals. Such is the case with Deputy Chief Riches's diatribe against Rudy Giuliani and those associated with him.

I am not going to respond to every attack Chief Riches made, nor am I going to comment on the 2008 presidential election. That is not for me to decide but for the rest of the voting public to do so next year. I would like to make three points.

First, I know Chief Riches and believe he is a good, decent and sensitive person. I fully empathize with Chief Riches about the loss of his son. In fact, I fully empathize with everyone who lost a loved one and/or friend. I lost my fellow friar and mentor, FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge, plus many other close friends on 9/11. Chief Riches is not alone with his grief and sorrow.

He also has his First Amendment rights. However, that does not give him license to condemn Rudy Giuliani, Richard Sheirer and others. Every person has a right to grieve in their own personal way. I just hope that people like Chief Riches have the proper guidance and support to grieve appropriately. Again, I respectfully request civility in professional interactions!

Second, the author Oscar Wilde once wrote "every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." Rudy Giuliani is no saint but he is especially not the demonized sinner he has been depicted as by some in recent weeks. Under the circumstances, I thought Mr. Giuliani stood to the plate and did a very good job after 9/11.

Was he perfect and did he make every correct decision? No, but who could have during those trying times? From my experience of the man, he also displayed tremendous and poignant compassion. What the general public does not know is that Mr. Giuliani attended more than 200 funerals and memorial services, especially for uniformed personnel. He did so not by informing the press of his whereabouts nor by trying to draw attention to himself at these services. He genuinely honored the deceased and attempted to console their loved ones.

I attended more than 55 funerals and memorial services and personally witnessed his sensitive support. At the same time, I also witnessed the capable leadership of the past Office of Emergency Management Commissioner, Richard Sheirer, who did not run away from the fallen Towers but ran toward them to help out those in need. Talk to Richard Sheirer and get his side of the story.

Third, this has been the most difficult letter I have ever written in my life. Why? I truly value and cherish all those who served at Ground Zero, especially the firefighters and the construction workers. I served as a Chaplain down there for 10 months. I prayed and cried with both families and rescue personnel. I pray to Almighty God that there be healing for Chief Riches and all those who are still seriously affected by the tragedy of 9/11. Call me naive but I pray that there be a genuine reconciliation between Chief Riches and those he is angry with at this present time.

We will never forget, but Christ calls us to forgive seventy times seven. I know easier said than done! But this is the challenge of our Christian faith that Jesus Christ calls all of us towards. We cannot be angry forever. Someday, we all have to make an account of ourselves before God. Before we die, will we try to reconcile ourselves with one another? That is true civility!

FATHER BRIAN JORDAN

Editor's note: Father Jordan is a Franciscan priest at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Manhattan, New York. He was the Chaplain at Ground Zero for 10 months.