[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 2, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1775-E1776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       POWER TO CHANGE OUR WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 2, 2001

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 18, family and 
friends gathered together at St. Helen's Church in Norwell, 
Massachusetts to mourn the loss of John J. Corcoran, a victim of the 
tragic terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11 . The 
memorial service was a stirring reflection of the life and spirit of 
Mr. Corcoran. From the depths of grief came a deeply moving tribute 
from his sister, Debi Corcoran of Helena, Montana. Her words of eulogy 
were so genuinely inspirational that I commend them to all of my 
congressional colleagues:


       On the morning of September 11th, my brother Jay kissed his 
     two children and his wife good-bye and raced to catch United 
     Airlines flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles, where he 
     would resume his job as a Merchant Marine engineering 
     officer. At 9:03 a.m. EST, his plane crashed into the south 
     tower of the World Trade Center, killing all on board and 
     thousands within the building as the tower crumbled to the 
     ground. There had been the possibility that Jay had missed 
     his flight, so my family and I, like many other families, 
     held a vigil of prayer for most of the day while we awaited 
     official world from the airlines. Even when the call finally 
     came, it was all too surreal I had just spent the most 
     wonderful family reunion with all my sisters and

[[Page E1776]]

     brother at West Hyannisport for my mother's 72nd birthday 
     just two weeks before. It had been the first time in five 
     years we had all been together. We shared so much joy and 
     laughter and gave each other so much love and support for all 
     the struggles and challenges going on in each other's lives. 
     We headed off in our separate directions, refreshed and 
     renewed by the blessings only family love gives. Today, we 
     unite again as a family to ease the pain, dull the shock and 
     fill each others spirits as we acknowledge our brother's 
     departure to his home with the Creator.
       In all these days of telephone communications with my 
     family, we've each had time to express our deepest thoughts, 
     our rawest emotions, and without exception they have been 
     expressions of love, compassion, and peace. My brother and 
     the thousands more who ascended en masse into God's light 
     were the recipients of an energy called hate. We know this 
     one well. We've seen it in our schools, our cities and towns, 
     and throughout the world. We are familiar with it's bitter 
     taste. But where does it come from? And why was it directed 
     at us--America? Do we need to look at the way we consume 
     disproportionate amounts of the world's resources while 
     billions live in poverty? Do we need to examine the overdue 
     responsibility to rein in greed and waste, and the need to 
     share more equitably with all our brothers and sisters?
       It would be easy for us to shun culpability, to proclaim 
     victimization, to extoll political rhetoric and allow 
     military action to be our reaction. But, I don't believe my 
     bother and all those other beautiful spirits made the supreme 
     sacrifice so that we can go on with business as usual Might 
     makes right! The have and the have nots! An eye for an eye! 
     Money is power! I believe their prayers of the families who 
     lost loved ones and the human community at large are that we 
     act, and not react. That we take this seed called love and 
     grow a new garden; a world where love, sharing, charity, 
     compassion and caring are our mantra and not more, more, 
     more!
       I believe we are at a crossroad as human beings. We have 
     free will. We have the right to choose. Will our recourse be 
     one of hate, anger, revenge and the subsequent and eventual 
     destruction of humankind and Mother Earth? Or do we take 
     responsibility--each and everyone of us and become a conduit 
     of God's love, acknowledging the circle of light that 
     connects all of us? We cannot harm another without harming 
     ourselves and that is why all the world feels our pain and 
     grieves with us; and that is why all the world anxiously 
     awaits our response. Let our collective goal be justice for 
     all.
       As one who has my blessed brother departed from this 
     physical plain too soon and with such horror, I choose to 
     stand for love, compassion, peace and for a true change on 
     all our parts. As children of God, I ask you all, to look 
     into your hearts and see what kind of a world you want your 
     children to grow up in, and to then decide to make it so. It 
     is within all our power to change our world.

     May there be peace on earth.
     May the heart of all people be open to themselves and each 
           other,
     May all people awaken to the light of their own true nature,
     May all creation be blessed, and be a blessing to all that 
           is.

           

                          ____________________