# The Gift From Russia After 9/11



## Debby (Jan 25, 2015)

Did you know that in 2007, President Clinton and President Putin officiated together at a ceremony to commemorate the installation of a gift from the people of Russia, to the people of America.  It is known as The Teardrop and is located in New Jersey and the media hardly covered the story when it was installed.  And since then, it's been forgotten.

It is a massive copper clad block with a gash down the centre of it, to symbolize the World Trade Centre Towers and suspended in the gash is a 40 foot polished nickel tear drop.  Around the base is engraved, the names of all of the victims, including the 26 Russian people who died there that day.

Too bad a beautiful park wasn't built around it.  It would have been fitting and a lovely way to thank Russia for the gesture.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/a...n-tracks-forgotten-monument-9-11-victims.html


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## hollydolly (Jan 25, 2015)

Yes I knew about it after John Craven ( quoted in your link) who is an English TV presenter reported on it a couple or more years ago.

Sadly it's not well known , and it should be I agree...


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## Rocky (Jan 25, 2015)

Why was this left to be forgotten?  It was a lovely and touching and a so very appropriate gift.

And why, when it was brought up several years ago now, was it immediately forgotten once again?

To my mind, this is a shameful reflection on us, our country, and our politics.


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## Debby (Jan 25, 2015)

It is a beautiful piece isn't it?  I think it was meant to have water running over the tear drop ('rivers of sorrow'?) but according to the article (or was it another one I read about it????) the City of New Jersey won't spring for the money to use it like it was meant to be shown.  Too bad.  I think that in the middle of a gorgeous park with white and red peonies in bloom all around (or some other gorgeous planting) it would be fabulous.  

Well hopefully someday, it will be remembered and cherished.


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## rt3 (Jan 25, 2015)

It was forgotten because they put it in jousey.


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## Debby (Jan 25, 2015)

Why was Jersey chosen instead of somewhere that people would have an opportunity to appreciate it?  Like maybe somewhere near the site of the tragedy?  Or maybe Central Park? This seems sort of like if you were to go to someone's house and the bottle of expensive wine you brought for your host was left on the porch outside or maybe set out on the sidewalk.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 25, 2015)

Thanks for bringing this up Debby, it is something that should not be forgotten by Americans.  Here's Clinton's speech, the letter from Putin can also be viewed on this site.
http://www.911monument.com/videos.cfm


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 25, 2015)

Central Park would have been an excellent choice for the location Debby.


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## Falcon (Jan 25, 2015)

Yes, It should be decorated with foliage and surrounded by a beautiful wall or hedge. The way it is is a slap in the face to the Russians who presented it to us.

I wasn't too impressed with Clintons opening "speech".  He looked like it was all a big joke. Where are our diplomats when we really need them?


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## Debby (Jan 26, 2015)

SeaBreeze said:


> Thanks for bringing this up Debby, it is something that should not be forgotten by Americans.  Here's Clinton's speech, the letter from Putin can also be viewed on this site.
> http://www.911monument.com/videos.cfm




You know, I listened to Clinton's speech and the words that stuck out were words like '*common humanity*, 9/11 gave us a moment of national and *global Unity,* *our common humanity is more important than our differences*, my prayer is that today we will recover some sense of that unity.......'  

So what happened?


And thank you for providing the links Seabreeze.  We need to absorb those words and make them part of our psyche globally.


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## BobF (Jan 26, 2015)

Yep, Clinton was one of our better Presidents.   He loved the young ladies but otherwise he was a better President.   Our national debt went down while he was President.   He was busy shooting rockets at Iraq and other places.    Now we are faced with Hillary to be our next President.    Will she also reduce our national debt as Bill did?    I sure hope so if she is elected.   The US will not stand long if that debt is not controlled or paid off.

We have lots of those monuments for this or that and many are located in what some consider lost or strange locations.   Why was this New York City monument put in New Jersey?    Maybe because NYC is so crowded and there was so much happening where the towers once stood at that time.    In fact a good place for the monument would be somewhere on the towers location where the public is invited in to see the water falls and name plates and whatever is there to see.   My opinion.


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 20, 2015)

Another article with photos about the memorial here.


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## Shalimar (Sep 20, 2015)

Beautiful.


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