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Richie's Picks: THE 9/11 REPORT: A GRAPHIC  ADAPTATION by Sid Jacobson and 
Ernie Colon, Hill and Wang, 2006, ISBN:  0-8090-5738-7
 
 
"The  Commission Recommends: 

WE SHOULD OFFER AN EXAMPLE OF MORAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTED TO TREAT  PEOPLE 
HUMANELY, ABIDE BY THE RULE OF LAW, AND BE GENEROUS AND CARING TO OUR  NEIGHBORS. 
 THE VISION OF THE FUTURE SHOULD STRESS LIFE OVER DEATH:  INDIVIDUAL 
EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY."
 
I have never read the 9/11 Commission's report.  And  while I've questioned 
my own ability to be a fully-informed  American citizen while lacking a 
familiarity with the contents of  such an important historic document, the original 
report's 568 pages have  always felt like an insurmountable read despite my 
obvious abilities  as a reader.  Any notion that the typical adolescent  student 
might ever tackle those 568 pages is rather  inconceivable. 
 
In 117 pages that are presented in an  inviting graphic format, comic book 
icons Sid  Jacobson and Ernie Colon -- contemporaries of my parents -- summarize 
and  superbly illustrate the findings of the 9/11 Commission.  They present  
the essential information from the Commission's report in a manner  that makes 
it fully accessible to adolescents whose lives are forever going to  be 
impacted by what happened that day, and who will participate  in future decisions 
concerning how we might move forward in  a way that we can both sustain human 
civilization on Earth and  better fulfill the promise of America's highest 
ideals.
 
"SCHEDULED TO LEAVE NEWARK AIRPORT AT 8 O'CLOCK -- FITTING INTO THE  
TERRORISTS' PLAN OF FOUR FLIGHTS LEAVING AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME -- UNITED FLIGHT  
93 
HAD TO SIT ON THE GROUND FOR 42 MINUTES BECAUSE OF HEAVY  TRAFFIC"
 
The book is quick to engage readers through the use of  long, folding-out 
pages that present a graphic timeline of the events  taking place simultaneously 
on the four highjacked aircraft and following  them to their tragic 
conclusion.  This first section concludes with a  haunting illustration in which 
black 
and gray ribbons of smoke drift across  the Manhattan skyline in the background 
and across the profile of Lady  Liberty in the foreground.
 
The book proceeds to reveal details of the  government's inability to 
promptly and efficiently react to the  attacks, the history of the "New Terrorism," 
a 
history of previous threats  and terrorist attacks against U.S. interests, 
and the evolution of  America's counterterrorism efforts.  (It is fascinating to 
see Bill  Clinton's pre-9/11 agonizing over what collateral loss of life 
might be  acceptable if Bin Laden had been targeted.)  We also learn the details  
of the selection and training of the hijackers, the heroism at Ground Zero, 
and  the eventual U.S. military response to the attacks.
 
It seems inevitable that a failure to assume the moral  leadership 
recommended by the Commission will result in a continued  growth of the ranks of 
those 
around the world who are opposed to  U.S. interests and are willing to act 
violently.  An example of that  process, as cited by the Commission is: 
 
"PAKISTAN'S ENDEMIC POVERTY, WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION, AND OFTEN  INEFFECTIVE 
GOVERNMENT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ISLAMIST RECRUITMENT.   MILLIONS OF 
FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THE POOR, SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO RELIGIOUS  SCHOOLS OR 
MADRASSAS. 
 MANY OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN USED AS INCUBATORS  FOR VIOLENT EXTREMEISM.  
IN KARACHI ALONE, THERE ARE 859 MADRASSAS TEACHING  MORE THAN 200,000 
YOUNGSTERS."
 
I certainly appreciate the hard work and vision of  the distinguished 
Americans who served on the 9/11 Commission.  But I  also think that Jacobson and 
Colon each deserve a medal for transforming the  important yet impenetrable 
report produced by the Commission into  a readily digestible record of the history 
surrounding the  unfathomable events of September 11, 2001.  I feel extremely 
well  informed for having read their book and so thankful that this notable 
work  provides effective access and thereby contributes significantly to the 
national  dialogue.
 
It is a book that certainly belongs in every middle and  high school in 
America.
 
Richie  Partington
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
Moderator,  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_school_lit/
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
http://www.myspace.com/richiespicks





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