Tenn. editor visits Ground Zero, shares the experience with his readers and takes a stand

Brad Martin, editor of the Hickman County Times in Centerville, Tenn., was inspired to devote a considerable part of his 9/11/10 newspaper to the events of 9/11/01. (The paper is dated Mondays but distributed Saturdays.) His front-page centerpiece was the tale of a New Jersey couple he met while touring Ground Zero. Like many in the New York region, their 9/11 story became increasingly harrowing but ended well. Now they lead tours around the site for tourists to "experience the personal effect of it." Click for PDFs of the front page, the first jump page and the second jump.

In an editorial, Martin reflected on his visit to the neighborhood to see nearby buildings that survived (St. Paul's Church), the new construction (55 of 190 floors of the Freedom Tower) and the location of the proposed Isalmic center and mosque, two blocks away:  "By the time we'd made it around the big block, my interest in seeing where a mosque might be built had waned. Controversy? Not here. We saw no protests. ... The whole place was a peace park. I can only imagine what the crowds will be like next September. ... I know what the mood will be like. Somber. Reverent." Martin's view of the proposal? "This country was settled by people seeking religious tolerance, a pillar that was built deep into the American infrastructure. Surely we cannot move that pillar, and threaten the foundation, because of 19 people." (Read more)