September 21, 2001 Diary: America Responds

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'I will not yield'
Friday, September 21, 2001
President Bush cautioned a shaken nation Thursday that there are "struggles ahead and dangers to face" as America and its allies combat global terrorism. He announced a new Cabinet-level office to fortify homeland defenses.
Addressing a joint session of Congress nine days after suicide hijackers are believed to have killed more than 6,000 people at the Pentagon and World Trade Center, Bush clasped the badge of a slain policeman in his fist.

Stocks still tumbling; Dow falls 382 points
Friday, September 21, 2001
Wall Street hastened its retreat from the economic damage of last week's terrorist attacks, sending stocks tumbling Thursday in their third steep decline in four days.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 382 points, bringing its loss so far this week to 1,229 points — nearly 13 percent — and putting the blue chip index in line for its biggest one-week point drop.

Falwell's apology not accepted
Friday, September 21, 2001
By Ellen Goodman
The Boston Globe

He has apologized as if it were a breach of etiquette or a case of bad timing.
With the country united in mourning before the fallen towers, the preacher spattered his words across the devastated landscape. In a moment of crisis, the evangelist linked theological arms with the enemy.

Patriotism runs strong in small Kansas town
Friday, September 21, 2001
American flags line the main street for almost a mile and hang in store windows and outside homes. But forget about trying to buy an Old Glory in this rural town.
In a community where patriotism seems second nature, many residents said Thursday they support the battle against terrorism but urged President Bush to proceed with caution.

Islamic clerics ask bin Laden to leave
Friday, September 21, 2001
Facing the prospect of U.S. attacks, Islamic clerics urged Osama bin Laden to leave Afghanistan. The United States said the call Thursday fell short of its demands, and a Taliban official acknowledged the alleged terrorist mastermind might have problems finding another nation willing to accept him.
The clerics' statement, issued at the end of a two-day meeting of the Ulema, or council of religious leaders, set no deadline for bin Laden to depart and included a warning of a jihad, or holy war, against the United States if its forces attacked this impoverished country.

Kansans applaud message
Friday, September 21, 2001
By Mindie Paget

Kansas congressmen praised President Bush's address, calling it a rally cry to the American people.
Last week's tragedy was "tremendously hurtful to the American people," U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D.-Kan., said during a phone call from Washington after the address. "I think they have been waiting to see what the president was going to say."

Hijackers lived like 'ordinary Americans'
Friday, September 21, 2001
They frequented a pizza parlor, talked baseball, worked out at gyms in Maryland and Florida. One scanned titles at an adult video store, but made no purchases. Another dropped in for coffee and cookies with his apartment manager.
As they meticulously prepared for their cataclysmic strike against America, the 19 suicide hijackers spent months experiencing some of the most ordinary facets of American life.

Americans are not to blame
Friday, September 21, 2001
By Leonard Pitts Jr.
Miami Herald

Let's get something straight.
The events of Sept. 11 did not happen because we did something wrong. Or because we somehow "deserved" them.

USDA worries about bioterrorism in state
Friday, September 21, 2001
With its huge hog farms, livestock feedyards and slaughter plants, Kansas makes a tempting target for bioterrorists bent on disrupting the nation's food supply by introducing diseases such as foot-and-mouth, the state's top veterinarian said.
"If you are going to use bioterrorism as a weapon, you go to where animals are concentrated," said Kevin Varner, veterinarian in charge for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Kansas. "We are definitely in the crosshairs."

Hijackers create identity crisis
Friday, September 21, 2001
FBI Director Robert Mueller said Thursday the identities of several of the suicide hijackers are in doubt as investigators arrested a man in Illinois wanted for questioning in last week's terror attacks.
As investigators followed the money trail, a bank in Florida said it found accounts connected to people involved in the attacks.

Media must rise to challenge
Friday, September 21, 2001
By Geneva Overholser
Washington Post Writers Group

Among the pressing issues now before us, the media's ability to meet the public's needs may not seem critical. Perhaps it should. The requirement for thoughtful national debate has never been clearer, and debate can be no better than the information that fuels it. That debate and that information were falling dramatically short as this tragedy approached.

Hundreds of terror cells may be connected to bin Laden
Friday, September 21, 2001
One received military training in the rugged Afghan mountains. Another was sent to Sudan to run an import-export company. A third began a fishing business off the Kenyan coast.

U.S. sends more warplanes to Gulf
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Updated Friday at 5:28 p.m.) The Pentagon committed more aircraft to the Persian Gulf region and the gathering war on terrorism Friday as Afghanistan snubbed a demand from President Bush to turn over Osama bin Laden and others blamed for last week's death and awesome destruction.

Attorney general visits Trade Center
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Updated Saturday at 12:55 a.m.) Attorney General John Ashcroft, accompanied by FBI Director Robert Mueller, got a firsthand look at the World Trade Center devastation Friday and promised: "We will rebuild New York."

Islam expert speaks at KU
Friday, September 21, 2001
By Terry Rombeck

Plunging airplanes into buildings is outlawed by Islam, even during a holy war, an Islamic law and religion expert said Thursday.

Anti-terrorism office to fight attacks on U.S. soil
Friday, September 21, 2001
It will be the daunting task of President Bush's new Office of Homeland Security to ensure terrorists can't take advantage of the nation's ease of movement to carry out attacks.

U.S. assembling terror strike force
Friday, September 21, 2001
The United States is pouring military firepower into the Persian Gulf area in preparation for President Bush's promised war on terrorism. The Air Force is sending B-52 and B-1 bombers and fighter jets while mobilizing thousands of reservists, and the Army is readying its commando forces.

FAA steps up recruitment for sky marshals
Friday, September 21, 2001
Help wanted: For dangerous assignments, sometimes in foreign lands with unstable governments or terrorist activity. Limited contact with family and limited time off. $35,100 to $80,800 yearly.

Trade Center death toll soars
Friday, September 21, 2001
The number of missing in America's worst terrorist attack soared Thursday to 6,333, with hundreds of foreigners added to the list of victims feared dead beneath the crumbled World Trade Center.
The number had been 5,422 for several days.

First Kansas Guard unit activated
Friday, September 21, 2001
The 134th Air Control Squadron, a Kansas Air National Guard unit at McConnell Air Force Base, has been activated for the national response to last week's terrorist attacks.

Charities expect surplus
Friday, September 21, 2001
Those overseeing the largest philanthropic fund-raising effort in American history could face an unanticipated situation: What to do if too much money is raised?

Experts say small planes pose large terrorist threat
Friday, September 21, 2001
America is trying desperately to prevent hijackers from turning more jumbo jets into missiles, but a terrorist's ability to maim or kill from a small Cessna or even a crop duster is virtually limitless.

Stock market falls a fourth time
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Updated Friday at 5:24 p.m.) Wall Street, consumed by political and economy uncertainty, sold stocks sharply lower for the fourth time in five sessions Friday, giving the Dow Jones industrials their biggest one-week point decline ever.

Congress ready to bail out airline industry
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Web Posted Friday at 2:29 p.m.) Congress stood ready to pass a $15 billion relief package for the airline industry Friday after ironing out last-minute differences over how best to help an industry that took a severe financial hit from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Fuel economy report reconsidered
Friday, September 21, 2001
The National Academy of Sciences says it may have overestimated the fuel savings possible if automakers were to change the way they design vehicles.

Northwest Airlines cuts 10,000 jobs
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Updated Saturday at 12:58 a.m.) Northwest Airlines announced Friday it will shed 10,000 jobs, nearly a fifth of its work force, joining other major airlines making cuts after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Fires continue to burn under Trade Center
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Web Posted Friday at 11:51 a.m.) With fires still burning beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center 10 days after the terrorist attack, the mayor said Friday that hope is all but gone of finding anyone alive among the more than 6,000 missing.

Taliban won't hand over bin Laden without evidence
Friday, September 21, 2001
(Updated Friday at 12:18 p.m.) Afghanistan's Taliban rulers refused Friday to hand over alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and warned that U.S. attempts to apprehend him by force could plunge the whole region into crisis.

Nation briefs
Friday, September 21, 2001
• Tonight's telethon grows to broadcast blowout
• WTC collapse felt as seismic event
• Selective Service protocol detailed
• Four-legged passenger welcomed on plane

Nation briefs
Friday, September 21, 2001
• Stamp would raise money
• Ads aim at backlash Arabs are American, too
• Airlines cut in-flight meals
• U.S. can't use airspace

6News report: Updates from around the world
Friday, September 21, 2001
Kim Hall reports on news from around the world in the wake of last Tuesday's terrorist attacks.

6News report: Bush warns Taliban
Friday, September 21, 2001
Kim Hall reports on Thursday nights address by President Bush to Congress and the nation.

6News report: ROTC members comment on readiness for active duty
Friday, September 21, 2001
Karen Bledsoe reports on the feelings of the cadets in the KU Army ROTC program.

6News report: Theologian says reform needed
Friday, September 21, 2001
Josh Garber reports on a speech that took place Thursday at the Dole Center.

6News report: Protestors want non-violent response to the terrorist attacks
Friday, September 21, 2001
Kim Hall reports on a protest for peace that took place on Thursday evening.

Garden analogy
Friday, September 21, 2001

Phoenix shall rise
Friday, September 21, 2001

Life lessons
Friday, September 21, 2001