To the Editor:
As co-founder and spokesperson for the New Jersey September 11 Memorial Foundation, I am indeed pleased to announce our group’s utter and complete satisfaction with the Appellate Division of N.J. Superior Court’s decision in our favor. The positive outcome defeats the Friends of Liberty State Parks’ frivolous lawsuit. This enables our group to proceed going forward and completing construction of our memorial, entitled Empty Sky. The memorial consists predominantly of two illustrious stainless steel walls inscribed with names of all the New Jersey victims of Sept. 11, and is located in Liberty State Park on the waterfront in Jersey City. The anticipated completion event for Empty Sky will occur on the 10-year milestone on Sept. 11, 2011.
This ideal N.J. September 11 Memorial location (juxtaposing the Central Railroad of New Jersey historic site, within direct linear eyesight of the former World Trade Center, directly across the Hudson, and within footsteps of the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island) will endear itself to the world as the everlasting Empty Sky Memorial to all our New Jersey victims. This is a lovely tribute to not only my brother, Robert Emmett Parks Jr., who was killed that day in 1WTC/105/Cantor Fitzgerald, but also to the o-so-many other victims of Sept. 11, whom I had known, as well as those I have learned of.
Our profound thanks to N.J. Governor Jon Corzine for his vast support and meetings attended with us. As well, thanks are apropos to N.J. acting governors Codey and DiFrancesco, and their predecessor Governor McGreevey. Also, thanks to Edie Brower, also from the N.J. Office of Attorney General OVRA (Office of Victim Recovery Act).
Additionally, our gratitude is offered to the N.J. Office of the Attorney General, who successfully defended Empty Sky against FOLSP. Finally, we laud the legions of pro bono attorneys from N.J. and N.Y.C. for their important work as necessary on issues our efforts have encountered.
We welcome the four million globe-trotting visitors who arrive yearly at Liberty State Park. We also look forward to renewing our fundraising efforts to complete the Empty Sky memorial.
As well, we encourage our detractor, Friends of Liberty State, to step up and join in our efforts to pursue beautification of Liberty State Park and in unison embrace Empty Sky. We welcome their anticipated cooperation.
We offer our grateful acknowledgment to the countless individual supporters who joined our email list and offer to volunteer at Empty Sky. Please peruse our website, www.nj911memorial.org, at your convenience.
E. BETZY PARKS
Co-founder & Spokesperson
N.J. September 11 Memorial Foundation