As I got off the elevator on the main floor of the Queens Place Mall in Elmhurst, I noticed a 9/11 memorial mural still up facing me. It said “In Memory of the Victims of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks,” I said to myself, wait-a-minute, almost nine years later, are we still being victimized?
No real replacement for the twin towers is a national disgrace. If or when, replace them with the tallest buildings in world, please, spare no expense. Make that 9/11 Memorial the most beautiful peaceful place to remember our victims of 9/11. Please respect them by supporting the families and friends of victims of 9/11.
Tell our President, who attended Columbia University here, our Mayor who build his world-wide media empire here – to step back, listen – feel the sadness of victims of 9/11. Understand their feelings about building a controversial house of worship within walking distance of Ground Zero, a final resting place for many victims of 911.
God Bless America was the sign that hung inside my recreational vehicle, 9/11 mobile canteen, for two months 24/7, following the terrorist attacks on Primary Day, September 11, 2001.
I banded together with others to create: Operation Good Will On Wheels 9/11. We wrote to White Castle, the late Dave Thomas of Wendy’s Hamburgers, KFC, Dominos Pizza, Boston Market, Subway, Pizza Hut, Pepsi Cola, Evian Water, Cost-Co plus many more local and national companies to donate to our cause. No one said no.
Our Winnebago was always full with hot comfort food, snacks, Dunkin Donuts and coffee. We fed our National Guard, State Troopers, NYPD, FDNY first-responders at check points around our city.
I was honored by White Castle Restaurants in 2006 for my “9/11 Mike” story of volunteerism and my story was featured here in The Queens Courier in June 2002.
Michael N. Niebauer is President/CEO of Spindoctor Inc. media & advocacy company, founder of the Independence Party of Queens County Organization and QPTV Producer of “The Independent,” a live cable TV talk show on Time Warner, RCN and Verizon Vios Cable Systems.
