Open Letter and Introductory Statement

Signed by The Ad-hoc Organizing Commitee of the 9/11 Truth Alliance:
Citizens' Investigation into the events of Sept. 11th, 2001, and endorsed by a wide range of groups.

January 6, 2003

Dear fellow citizens and friends,

We are a group of activists, artists and researchers who are deeply concerned about the direction in which the American government is heading, and the state of global politics in general.

Since the horrible events of Sept. 11, 2001, our culture has been increasingly colored by an ominous cloud of suspicion, fear, misinformation... gathering our people unto an ever-greater reliance on war as the cure for all ills.

This state of affairs did not start with the events of Sept. 11th, yet it has been greatly worsened by them. It's now clear that the lessons from 9/11 have not been learned; and further, there is far more to this catalyst for the "war on terrorism" than what we have been told.

As a group, we stand amongst a large and growing community of people who have spent many hours re-examining what occurred on and around that terrible day. This review has left us appalled at the web of contradictions, the fragile "evidence," the accountability denied; and we recognize, in the media's willingness to accept the government line (with little more than a whisper of criticism), a deeply troubling indication as to the state of our Republic.

Now, over one year later, we are poised on the brink of a vastly expanded war in the Middle East, a direct consequence of the fear that erupted into flames when those two planes crashed into the World Trade Center towers.

We do not claim to have the complete and final answers as to what happened in and around that day. What we have is an enormous (and ever-growing) mass of unanswered questions, the weight of which has now accumulated into a clear sense of purpose.

We are writing to inform you of our intent to lay the foundation for a national citizens' investigation into the events of Sept. 11th, 2001; and we invite all of you to consider this your commission, to recognize here our commitment to place ourselves at the service of the American people.

To this end, we of the 9/11 Truth Alliance have formed an ad hoc "organizing committee."

We have committed ourselves to carrying out various tasks necessary to make a "citizens' commission" a visible reality within a few months time - and we are doing so in such a way as to make this commission unlike any other.

Our primary focus is to empower you, the citizen, to express yourself, to engage in meaningful dialogue, and find your own answers... that we may all become better neighbors -and so ensure a brighter future for our children.

Thus, while we proceed with the foundation -holding preliminary hearings in a handful of cities- we also intend to place a wide variety of resources, tools, and techniques at your disposal, that you may organize your own hearings in your own local cities, towns, districts in concert with all others, along a common front.

We invite your participation at any and all levels -from the grassroots researcher, organizer, to those who are now developing a common, internet database by which all our findings may be collated into a single, organized resource for all to add to and use.

For a citizens' investigation to be credible, we must raise our criteria for evidence and findings to the very highest level, (citation of sources, clear logic, lucid language, honorable commissioners, etc.). At the same time, our emphasis on grassroots participation welcomes a wide variety of contributions... from expert testimony to inspired theatre, from casual get-togethers to full scale conferences.

There will be no 'litmus test' for participation. While many have clearly accepted the official explanations and others have already come to their own, alternative conclusions, we simply intend to reserve judgment until all the evidence is in.

Some may say, "The federal government will be holding its own, National Commission. Why not wait and see what they come up with?"

We say, "Why not come and join our 'government liaison committee' by which we intend to monitor and assess the progress of the said commission?" >From the evidence we have seen thus far, we do not hold out much hope that it will be more than a whitewash. As citizens, we remain vigilant in our observance.

Others may say, "Commissions never solve anything," or "9/11 is old news."

That's why we say that this investigation must be more a movement of concerned citizens than just a mechanical weighing of facts. In the light of our ongoing march to war, and the wholesale sacrifice of the Bill of Rights for an illusory security, this movement is both urgent and timely.

Some may say, "What's to discover? Usama Bin Laden and his network hijacked some planes and flew them into buildings."

To you we say, "Study the evidence. We think you will be amazed and shocked at how flimsy the "official" explanations actually are - and how the media seems prepared to not take a closer look.

We have no time for those who would dismiss our misgivings as "conspiracy theory" (a term most often used by people who haven't done their homework).

We demand evidence, credible inquiry, commitment to find the truth, and a faith in the ability of the people to reason things out. If no one else is going to step forward, then we must.

Citizens, friends, our nation has been swept up in a tide of vengeance and price-tag patriotism. We have been given no meaningful opportunity to publicly discuss the stubborn mysteries surrounding 9/11. We are being denied our right to direct the course of our democracy -even as our civil liberties are being stripped away; and beneath all this, there lies a dark day, whose real meaning has yet to be unveiled.

Help us to uncover the truth, cleanse the air, and reveal the best of what this nation can be.

Become better informed, or simply know that we are working alongside you, wherever and whenever you take a stand for integrity, and responsible public office...

We will be there.

signed,
the "ad hoc Organizing Committee"
9/11 Truth Alliance:
working towards a
National Citizens' Commission