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"Again and again
the suggestion was to ask the people of the UK to
consider the feelings of the folk of USA and to
halt their exuberant firework activities during
the coming weeks and months "as a mark of
respect", for all those who had been killed."
Following
the horrible events of September 11 in New York
at the World Trade Centre many people phoned or
sent e-mails asking, how could we show to the
ordinary people of the United States of America
not only the revulsion we felt but that they were
constantly in our thoughts at this dreadful time.
Again and again the suggestion was to ask the
people of the UK to consider the feelings of the
folk of USA and to halt their exuberant firework
activities during the coming weeks and months
"as a mark of respect", for all those
who had been killed.
We put out this suggestion in a report to the
Press Association and I was staggered by the
response. I spent the rest of day flying
around news studios starting with a number of
local radio station interviews around the
country, and Radio 5 Live Breakfast Show.
The initial response was mixed. Some
commentators were hostile because they thought we
were trying to disrupt the firework display their
own Radio Station was supporting. We made
it clear that we supported large firework
displays. Firstly because they were usually
organised by charities, either as a thank you, or
as a way of raising funds, and secondly large
displays are generally safer than back garden
firework parties. When we explained that
policy, attitudes changed and commentators saw
the good sense in our proposals. The best
interviews we did were the heavyweight programmes
"Breakfast News", BBC 1, Radio 5 Live
Breakfast Programme, and "The Jimmy Young
Show" on BBC Radio 2.
On the "Jimmy Young Show", Jimmy said
that the response in phone calls and e-mails
before my arrival in the studio was running at 50/50.
It led to a flood of calls afterwards as a lot of
people approved of our suggestion. Such was
the response and media interest that it took me
two weeks to fit them all in.
As I remember we only had two abusive e-mails
from grossly selfish people who went on about
themselves and their right to do anything and
everything they wished. This was giving in to the
terrorist was another line hauled up when they
realised their stance was looking a bit silly.
We asked only to consider the feelings of others
who at this sad time wanted a bit of "peace
and quiet" so that they may come to terms
with the tragic events. The terrorist asks more
of all of us, and in that, all of us, including
the silent majority should make our voices heard,
loud and clear.
For the first time in thirty two years we had a
mailbag which was larger than we could handle,
together with a continuing large number of
emails, and the Campaign really struggled to cope.
People were finding their voices, and asking why
are they subjected to the daily "constant
bombardment" of powerful fireworks let off
at any time of the day or night into the early
hours of the morning.
Together we shall continue to ask the authorities
why are they allowing it to happen?
As ever
Noel
October 2001
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