More Than 70 Organizations Sign Shared Statement of Principles on Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

August 31, 2011 - Posted by Ron Bigler

On the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, representatives from more than 70 national civil rights, human rights, civil liberties, Muslim, Jewish, and South Asian groups have signed a shared statement of principles that they say must guide responses to such horrendous and terrifying acts.

Recognizing the need for all nations to provide security to their citizens, the principles affirm that the pursuit of these aims must follow "respect for diversity, fairness, and tolerance, and our commitment to protect fundamental freedoms and basic human rights."

Calling for a rejection of rhetoric that instills fear and distrust among citizens, the groups encourage leaders and citizens to:

Stand by each other, as we did in the days following 9/11, and throughout the last decade, to build and sustain durable partnerships to ensure that no one in our communities is singled out or demonized in this debate.

The full statement of principles can be viewed below and downloaded here (PDF).