Subject: World Peace Day - September 11:

What will America be doing on September 11, 2002?

We will be observing the first anniversary of an unspeakable tragedy, a day
when over 3,000 people lost their lives. If each of those people knew only
50 people, then September 11, 2002, will find over 150,000 people grieving
the loss of someone who touched their lives. Add to that the rest of us who
experienced the tragedy indirectly, and it is easy to foresee that we will
be a country in mourning, reliving again and again the events of that
tragic day.

What if we could change that?

We can.

Imagine yourself reading the following newspaper headline:

   * President Bush honors those who lost their lives by declaring
     September 11 "World Peace Day"
   * The American Bar Association honors those who lost their lives by
     suspending all civil litigation on September 11
   * The world honors those who lost their lives by agreeing to a 24-hour
     truce in all military conflicts on September 11

Would that make a difference? I think it would. The highest honor we can
give to those who lost their lives is to declare World Peace Day in their
names. I think we can turn this day around and give people a reason to look
forward rather than backward, to be inspired by peace rather than immersed
in bitterness and sorrow.

The loved ones we lost were victims of a war we didn't know we were engaged
in. They are our unsung heroes. And although plans are in the works to
build a memorial for them at the World Trade Center site, those plans will
not be realized for this year. So we have to make sure that they are
honored in the best way we know how. And I can think of no better way to
commemorate their deaths than by proclaiming World Peace Day in their
names. When our country and the world celebrates World Peace Day, then our
loved ones will have given their lives for something bigger than all of
us.

Remember how we all felt in the aftermath of 9/11? Remember how incredibly
inspiring and uplifting it was to see our country -- and, unbelievably, the
world -- uniting as it did? I saw that miracle as a possibility that all
those people did not give their lives in vain. But that miraculous unity
seemed to dissipate, didn't it, as we took up our lives again and as we
began to succumb again to our fear and anger, our cynicism and resignation

Let's revive that unity. Let's send the message that our loved ones did not
give their lives in vain. Let's create a miracle. Let's unite again and
invite the world to join us in a celebration of peace that will elevate the
entire human race.

Make a difference. Make World Peace Day happen, and give our country and
the world something else to think about on September 11. Give them hope.

Yours truly in hope and peace,

Lori Stefano
Yelm, WA 98597
ladylorelei@netzero.com

For more information about World Peace Day, visit http://www.itstime.com/worldpeaceday.htm