Kevin P. Meenan
Every Number a Victim
The scale of the loss of September 11, 2001, is staggering. As we try to understand, the numbers are being compared to other losses in American history: Pearl Harbor, D-Day or Antietam. At the time I write this, close to 7,000 are feared dead and thousands others injured and traumatized. The horrible images of planes exploding, the Pentagon burning and the collapse of the World Trade Center towers are seared into our brains that numb to the reality of so many killed and injured. It is terrible and incomprehensible.
But to understand the true evil of the terrorists’ acts, take each loss one at a time. Remember and grieve because every number is a victim. Every number is a precious human life that was taken in murderous violence. And every number is a life lived, a family member loved, a co-worker valued and a citizen lost.
More than most, prosecutors understand how the murder of one lone citizen mandates all of our resources to bring the killer to justice. We do it every day. Every day across the United States, America’s prosecutors are at crime scenes, directing investigations, and charging and trying cases to hold murderers accountable. Every day, America’s prosecutors use their victim services to help grieving families grope towards healing. Every day, America’s prosecutors commit themselves to the freedoms of our Constitution and the force of the rule of law.
As the professionals of American justice, prosecutors have much to offer our nation. Our talents, skills and understanding will be sorely needed in the weeks and months ahead as our communities and our country come to grips with what September 11 means. Our legislatures and our Congress will debate new laws and will need our expertise to help balance the needs of security with the demands of freedom. The new federal-state task forces will need our experience as we grapple with what this war on terrorism means to our American justice system. And as Americans suffer with the terrible reality of grief for loved ones lost, we can offer our network of victims services to help them and our communities heal from this terrible trauma of violence.
On behalf of your association, I immediately offered the NDAA’s assistance and support to Attorney General Ashcroft and to President Bush. At my executive committee meeting the week following the attack, we adopted a resolution and began the debate of how NDAA responds in this critical time. Our staff in Washington is working hard to track legislation and to communicate with our members and with the media. The Executive Working Group (made up of NDAA, the National Association of Attorneys General and Attorney General Ashcroft and designees from DOJ) is set to meet in November to continue work on our joint response. In the meantime, as President Bush encouraged, keep up your work, do your jobs and help in any way you can.
We hold the murder of one person dear and of vital importance. A crime against one of us, is a crime against all of us. So when the numbers overwhelm your understanding of what happened on September 11, just remember the truth all of us understand so well: every number is a victim. And that victim cries out for justice.
