9/11 Memorial Museum: don't trivialize the deaths of victims!

Please sign and share this petition worldwide in an effort to support the feelings of all people affected by the tragedy of 9/11. The new 9/11 Memorial Museum is running a gift shop that presents items much too sensitive to surviving families of those deceased in this horrible incident in history. Keeping these loved ones in our minds and hearts, let us support them and their wishes by signing this petition to ban any memorabilia from stirring up further pain in their lives.

Many of the surviving families involved in the September 11th tragedy of 2001 are outraged with the fact that the new National September 11 Memorial Museum is trying to generate funds by offering trinkets and memorabilia in a gift shop. The store has mugs, T-shirts, books and more that resurfaces the occurrences of that horrible day. The museum itself is quite difficult, especially for those so closely affected and holds unidentified remains of some of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Families of the deceased are asking that the Museum be more sensitive to their feelings by offering books and other mementos with more of a historical significance. One of the parents who lost a son in the tragedy, Mr. Horning stated that “It’s crass commercialism on a literally sacred site. It’s a burial ground. We don’t think there should be those things offered on that spot. If you want to do it, do it someplace else, but not right there.”

President Obama called the site of the museum as "this sacred place" where about 3,000 innocent people lost their lives at the hands of terrorists. Another grieving parent who lost a firefighter son, Mr. Riches stated that “They’re down there selling bracelets; they’re making money off my dead son. I won’t go down there as long as those body parts are in the museum.” Such are the feelings of many of the surviving family members.

Some of the items for sale in the gift shop are clearly intended to tap into the sense of solidarity that emerged in New York following the attacks, like the plain black T-shirts with the tagline “honor, remember, reunite.” But others, like a black hoodie with the twin towers emblazoned on the front, seem more of a vivid and painful reminder of what was lost. Memorabilia o the New York City Fire Department even includes items like toy trucks and doggie vests.

Michael Frazier who is the nonprofit 9/11 museum’s senior vice president of communications and digital media claims that all items were carefully selected with victims and their families in mind, saying that it is not much different than other memorials in history. There are also similar shops at Arlington National Cemetery , The Pearl Harbor Memorial in Hawaii and the U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. However, most feel that these other periods in history are so far in the past; 9/11 is   just too fresh for surviving families and having the museum in the same spot where many lost their lives is just too disturbing.

Many of the surviving family members did petition against this museum and protested against the decision to make those remains a part of a repository at the museum. Those responsible for the decisions of the museum seem to be using it basically like a Ringling Brothers sideshow attraction, as put by one of the distraught family survivors. It is very disturbing that they built this museum on the same spot where 3,000 people died, including a cafe and gift shop of "memories."

Please sign and share this petition worldwide in an effort to support the feelings of all people affected by the tragedy of 9/11. The new 9/11 Memorial Museum is running a gift shop that presents items much too sensitive to surviving families of those deceased in this horrible incident in history. Keeping these loved ones in our minds and hearts, let us support them and their wishes by signing this petition to ban any memorabilia from stirring up further pain in their lives.