On Friday evening, a former CIA analyst and the mother of a 9/11 victim came to campus to share their opinions on the United States’ reaction to the terrorist attacks which took place 15 years ago.
Students and community members came together for the event, which was hosted by Binghamton University Peace Action and Broome County Peace Action, organizations which both promote peace activism.
One of the speakers, Donna Marsh O’Connor, lost her daughter on Sept. 11, 2001. She now acts as a national spokesperson for Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, an organization devoted to channeling families’ grief in the wake of 9/11 into peace efforts.
O’Connor was critical of the U.S. government, saying that the reaction to the events was militaristic and abrupt.
“Following the attacks, I could not believe what was being done in my daughter’s name by my own government,” O’Connor said.
Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst and the other speaker at the event, also spoke negatively about governmental actions taken after 9/11. According to him, the war on terror was an escalated and unfocused response to terrorist attacks.
He said that the 9/11 Commission, which was formed in order to determine the events surrounding the attacks, did not sufficiently investigate the events. He also cited theories that claim the Commission was covering up government negligence, a viewpoint he personally shares.
“Two members of the Commission released memoirs two years after the release of the report in which they harshly criticize the Commissions’ lack of funding and lack of cooperation from the administration,” McGovern said.
Following the attacks, President George W. Bush made a speech in the Washington National Cathedral in the District of Columbia. According to McGovern, this speech was vengeful when it should have drawn on the country’s potential for resilience.
“Instead of appealing to the best instincts of Americans, the president appealed to our worst feelings,” McGovern said.
Judy Homanich is a Binghamton resident and a member of Broome County Peace Action who attended the event. She said she was proud to have McGovern come and talk to the students and community members because he offers another viewpoint on the events of 9/11.
“I think its always important to know the truth,” Homanich said. “As hard as we try, we only get a slice of what is really happening. Ray McGovern … is constantly trying to increase his knowledge and spread that knowledge.”
Ryan Havdala, a sophomore double-majoring in political science and business administration, said he learned a lot from the event.
“When the attacks happened I was at such a young age I couldn’t fully understand what was happening.” Havdala said. “It’s good to listen to experts and it really opened my mind to a more full understanding of these complex events.”