America responds

[AP photo] Oprah Winfrey greats first lady Laura Bush on Tuesday as Mrs. Bush appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, describing the personal efects of the attacks on her life and her family.

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 19, 2001

Bush steps back from word 'crusade'

WASHINGTON -- President Bush regrets using the word "crusade," with all its historical connotations of religious war, to describe his campaign against terrorists, his spokesman said Tuesday.

Bush only meant to say that his is a "broad cause" to stamp out terrorism worldwide, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said.

On Sunday, Bush told reporters: "This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while."

With that comment, he stoked suspicion in some Arab and Muslim quarters where "crusade" is a loaded term that recalls the Christians' medieval wars against Muslims in the Holy Land.

In diplomacy ...

U.N. MEETING POSTPONED: The U.N. General Assembly will postpone its annual gathering of world leaders scheduled to begin next week because of the difficulties New York would face in providing security for visiting heads of state and government in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks, the assembly president said Tuesday.

The delay will mark the first time in the 56-year history of the United Nations that the General Assembly postponed the high-level round of speechmaking, although the entire General Assembly session was postponed for more than two months in 1964 so nearly half the members could attend a nonaligned conference, U.N. officials said.

OAS TO MEET TODAY: The 34-nation Organization of American States is scheduled to meet today to discuss whether to respond to last week's terrorist strikes against the United States by invoking the 1947 Inter-American Self-Defense Treaty, also known as the Rio Treaty, calling for the collective defense against outside threats.

The special OAS meeting in Washington was called by Brazil this week, arguing that the region could not remain neutral in the face of the terrorist attacks.

Jews observe beginning of new year, High Holy Days

Jews nationwide observed Rosh Hashana on Tuesday with patriotic songs and sermons about the heroism of firefighters.

The holiday, which officially began Monday night, marks the Jewish New Year and the start of the High Holy Days, a 10-day period of reflection. The season ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jews communally admit their sins and reconcile with God.

Free tuition suggested for N.Y. victims' relatives

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Families of victims of last week's terrorist attacks would get free tuition to New York's public colleges under a plan announced Tuesday.

Gov. George Pataki said the scholarships, worth about $12,000 a year, would cover tuition, fees, room, board and transportation.

Advice and dissent ...

PROTESTS PLANNED: More than 100 civil rights and religious organizations plan to gather Thursday in Washington to map a response to last week's terrorism, hoping to moderate the government's support for military strikes abroad and expanded law enforcement powers at home.

Separately, peace groups will gather in New York on Friday to plan national action against President Bush's declared "war on terrorism," arguing that war is not the answer and will only add to the carnage.

Moreover, antiwar protesters will march on the White House this month to oppose President Bush's battle plans.

The International Action Center, sponsor of the Sept. 29 rallies in Washington and San Francisco, fears that more innocent people will die if the United States wars on terrorists and sponsoring nations. The group also fears the erosion of civil liberties as the search for suspects continues.

MUSLIMS URGE RESTRAINT: Some American Muslim groups said Tuesday that U.S. retaliation for last week's terrorist attacks should target only those proven to be directly responsible.

Any other course "may lead to the increase of anti-American sentiments and extremism, which are the salient factors in terrorism," said Shaker Elsayed, secretary-general of the Muslim American Society.

"We join all other Americans in our unequivocal condemnation of the attacks as un-Islamic, barbaric and inhumane," he said.

FARRAKHAN HAS DOUBTS: Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan condemned the "wild beasts" who carried out a terrorist attack on America and agreed with government leaders that a strong response is warranted.

But during a Sunday service in Chicago, he also hinted at doubts about whether the administration should declare war on terrorism.

On guard ...

OVER FLORIDA SKIES: Some Florida National Guard members, not waiting for a callup, volunteered for duty after last week's terrorist attacks to keep the planes of the 125th Fighter Wing of the Florida National Guard in the air.

The unit has been flying F-15 fighters from Jacksonville International Airport and Homestead Air Reserve Base with 300 full-time reservists.

OVER WATER SUPPLIES: Guardians of the nation's drinking water remain on full alert more than a week after the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. And that may not change any time soon.

Utility officials, who are tight-lipped about specific security steps, will say only that safety measures are in place indefinitely.

Officials insist they are not expecting anyone to sabotage drinking water with poison or biological weapons. They're just staying cautious, said Christian Hawley, a spokeswoman for the American Water Works Association.

OVER AIRWAVES: The government is allowing television and radio stations to suspend routine tests of the emergency alert system this month to avoid creating confusion or fear after last week's terrorist attacks.

The Federal Communications Commission won't punish broadcast stations or cable systems for not conducting the tests before Oct. 2, the agency said Tuesday.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had requested that broadcast stations suspend the weekly and monthly tests, the FCC said.

Travelers by land, air ...

BUS RIDERSHIP UP: Grounded airline passengers took the bus last week, pushing ridership for Greyhound Lines to levels typically seen only during busy holidays, the company said.

The company said it pressed nearly all of its 2,300 buses and 5,000 drivers into service -- a big jump from its 1,800 buses rolling on a normal day. By Sunday, however, passenger counts returned to the daily average of about 70,000, the company reported.

The busiest bus terminals were in Las Vegas and South Florida: Traffic was up 378 percent Thursday in Key West and 291 percent in West Palm Beach. Greyhound officials speculated that many of the Florida riders were cruise-ship passengers whose flights home were canceled.

BOMB SCARE FALSE: A search of a Virgin Airlines Boeing 747 that landed in Canada because of a bomb scare turned up nothing, and the plane took off again Tuesday for New York.

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