Events  

Remarks at the 40th Anniversary of Dundalk Rotary Club

Mr. Jonathan S. Benton,  Former Deputy Chief of Mission speaking at the 40th Anniversary of the Dundalk Rotary Club: Darver Castle, Dundalk September 10, 2006.

I am happy to be here. It is an honor to represent the United States Embassy here tonight. I am sorry Ambassador Kenny – a Chicago native like Rotary founder Paul Harris -- could not be here, but I’m personally delighted he sent me in his stead.

Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Dundalk on the occasion of your 40th anniversary. And especially to all the Dundalk Club members, past Presidents, District officials, and honored guests here tonight. Including founding member Eoin Leavy.

Although I am not a Rotarian, my grandfather was very active more than 50 years ago in the Utica, New York Rotary Club and I am familiar with your work.

I know that Rotary was founded 101 years ago in Chicago, and that Ireland is the home of Europe’s number one club, the first, I believe outside of the Americas.

I think what Mr. Harris had in mind when he founded Rotary was as simple an idea as getting together with other professional people to talk about common interests and concerns.

Today we would call that “networking.” I think the best word for it then and now is “fellowship.”

By 1907, the Chicago Rotary Club began outreach to the less fortunate -- the first two efforts of which I am aware were the purchase of a horse for an itinerate preacher whose horse had died, and the construction of Chicago’s first public lavatory.

“Service above self” became Rotary’s motto, and, along with fellowship, service to others defines Rotary International to this day.

I think service to others is among the most noble, and thankfully among the most basic of human instincts. We see lots of examples of cruelty and selfishness in the world, but the good news is, more of us would rather do good than do ill. And if given the opportunity, I think it’s a natural tendency for people to help those who are in trouble and need. What Rotary does is to give people those opportunities to help.

Today is September 10th, and tomorrow Americans and much of the world will mark the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States and the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York. I hope you will forgive me if I comment briefly on this tragedy.

On that dark day, in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, roughly 3000 innocent souls lost their lives. More than 2,000 were injured. And tens of thousands of American lives were shattered by death, injury or the loss of a son, daughter, brother, sister, father, mother or other loved one. Citizens of 90 countries were killed.

The scale and utterly depraved nature of the attack triggered what must be seen as a war against terrorists who planned that event and those that would – and have -- launched further attacks. It is, after all, the first responsibility of any government to protect its people.

And let me just say this is not a war against Islam or a clash of cultures. Although the terrorists hide behind Islam, the true faith of Muhammad does not condone or encourage attacks against innocent civilians.

It is rather a struggle against hate and large-scale violence targeting innocent people. And as governments and non-governmental groups seek to redress grievances and inequities that make people desperate and that foment terrorism, we must also be clear that terrorism is never justified.

But back to New York. Anyone who was there or who has connections to the city will tell you how devastating the attack was in its scale and violence. It is something I spoke with New York City Mayor Bloomberg about three weeks ago when he visited Sligo. To cope, people needed faith. They needed each other. They needed heroes.

And they got the heroes they needed. Not the kind that fight back against the oppressor or foe, like some of our national heroes from past wars or conflicts -- though we now know that some on flight 93 in Pennsylvania did fight back.

The American heroes we got were this: People who put service to their fellow men above everything else. Including their own lives. What we got was “Service above self” on a large scale.

On September 11, about 340 New York City firefighters and over 60 New York City police and transit police officers died trying save the lives of others. And we now know of dozens of stories of everyday civilians who put helping those in trouble around them above their own safety.

Afterwards, the need for healing and recovery, and the physical needs of families who lost their breadwinners, was very great. Those needs were only met by the generosity, good will and spirit of service of fellow New Yorkers, fellow Americans, and people from all over the world.

There, at ground zero, New York Rotary members delivered water, masks and gloves to the site, delivered and served food, tested the air quality, cleaned out debris embedded in the rescue workers' eyes, identified victims and offered grief counseling.

The Rotary Club of New York set up a disaster fund, which accumulated over 1.5 million dollars, collected from Rotarians all over the world, including, of course, from Ireland.

I focus on the September 11 disaster because it is especially on my mind tonight. But of course everyone in the room is aware of Rotary International’s role in helping alleviate suffering around the globe in similar and even more devastating tragedies.

Rotary International has been involved in relief efforts in virtually every large-scale disaster – man-made and natural – in recent years. Katrina in the United States; the 2004 Tsunami and the Indonesian and Pakistani earthquakes in Asia; the Ethiopian floods and the ongoing crisis in Darfur in Africa; and even the reconstruction of Lebanon -- all are tragedies of a global scale made better by Rotary International and by Rotarians worldwide – including those in this room.

Whether you are risking your life, giving generously of your money, time and expertise, or just sharing a kind word or gesture; serving others is the most noble of human endeavors.

And many times the most effective place to do that is in your community, among local groups of people who share interests and fellowship. I know that District 1160 is supporting cancer research, disadvantaged children and other medical and children’s charities on this island. You are changing people’s lives for the better.

Which all brings me back to why I am here and why I feel so privileged to be a part of your festivities. I am happy and indeed honored to be here because of what Rotary International stands for and for what the Rotarians of Dundalk do, day in and day out.

I am happy to this occasion to join in the tributes tonight to Rotary International and all its good works – local and global; to the concept of Service Above Self which has become its guiding principle; and to the 40 years of fellowship and service that is the Rotary Club of Dundalk.

Thank you.