October 1, 2002 News Release
Sept. 11 Victims' Families Applaud Representatives Returning From Iraq
Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., Rep. David Bonior, D-Mich., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif, are arriving back from Baghdad tonight.
Kelly Campbell is West Coast co-director of Peaceful Tomorrows, a group of family members of victims of Sept. 11. Her brother-in-law, Craig Amundson, was killed at the Pentagon. She said of the congressional representatives returning today: "We believe they represent the true spirit of America because they are asking questions, they are educating themselves, they are taking seriously this extremely important matter that legislators are taking up." Campbell is currently in Washington, D.C.
Campbell added: "We need to be pursuing all the avenues possible before resorting to war. That's the type of leadership and spirit that this country needs. While the Bush administration continues to use our loved ones to rush to war, others are doing the real work of looking at the alternatives."
Andrew Rice, a member of Peaceful Tomorrows who lost his brother, David, at the World Trade Center, said: "I feel that some of the Congressmen are being misrepresented. They did not go to Baghdad to support Saddam Hussein. They went in support of the people of Iraq, over 20 million people, who, like our loved ones, would be the victims of massive violence. The representatives are identifying with humanity rather than politics. They are realizing the human costs of war. That's what we strive for as a group and we commend them."
Contact: Kelly Campbell: cell: (415) 518-1991, kelly at peacefultomorrows.org Andrew Rice, cell: (512) 826-7580, (713) 529-0699, arice5 at houston.rr.com