A federal commission began its investigation of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks yesterday by listening to survivors, rescue workers, politicians and relatives of the dead urge them to “point fingers” to prevent future atrocities.
“I think this commission should point fingers. I’m not suggesting that you find scapegoats, but there were people – people in responsible positions – who failed us,” said Stephen Push, whose wife, Lisa Raines, was aboard American Airlines Flight 77 which crashed into the Pentagon.
Mary Fetchet played a recording of her son Brad’s telephone call from the World Trade Center’s south tower. He told her he was fine and signed off with a quick “love you.”
Fetchet said the 24-year-old equity trader had been told it was safe to remain in his office. She told the commission she wants to know “what were the failures and who was accountable.”
Harry Waizer, a Cantor Fitzgerald survivor who was inside a north tower elevator when the first plane struck, said government reports are often ignored when they’re released.
In a quiet, raspy voice – the result of inhaling burning jet fuel – Waizer said he hoped his story helped people remember.
“My hope is that by speaking today, I am putting a human face on the tragedy,” said Waizer.
Mindy Kleinberg, whose husband died at the trade center, wanted to know why many of the terrorists were allowed to enter the country despite inadequate visa applications, which in some cases listed their destinations merely as “hotel” or “California.”
Lee Ielpi, a retired firefighter who spent nine months at Ground Zero searching for the body of his firefighter son, called himself an “ambassador of the dead.”
“America’s guardians failed us on Sept. 11. You now bear responsibility to see that the lessons you learn at these hearings are remembered, and more importantly, acted on,” he told the commission.