Look at this gorgeous document! (Click to enlarge.) This is a copy of the resolution passed on March 2. The project is a go!
Scott McLeod, Fire Chief and driving force behind the Aqsa Parvez memorial resolution that was approved this past week, gives us the following wonderful news about the Aqsa Parvez Memorial being erected in Pelham.
The town is going forward and going to build a memorial, later in the year. There will be an official ribbon cutting taking place. I think we should all go!
A generous local monument company has offered to donate a granite bench and will inscribe the stone with the memorial we had wanted - In loving memory of Aqsa Parvez, Beloved, Remembered and Free.
Scott tells me they have tentatively planned an area which would create an arboretum as part of this project, a memorial garden. Splendid.
They are uncertain as to the final costs of the project, but it appears that most of the items will likely be donated to the project, and McLeod suspects that it will not require anything like the funds we have collected. So we will do more for Aqsa .......... how great is that?
He also said there has been wonderful positive feedback on this from so many good folks in Canada, and the local paper has been very supportive as well.
sigh
This is just beyond my wildest dreams. I think Aqsa would be deeply moved.
Previously at Atlas: BARUCH HASHEM! AQSA MEMORIAL GOES FORWARD
Previously related sturm and drang at Atlas: Just Aqsa
Calling me an “anti-Muslim maniac” over the bones of Aqsa Parvez is the bitterest irony of all
AQSA AND ATLAS IN THE NEWS: FAMILY REFUSES MEMORIAL FOR AQSA
AQSA REMEMBERED
HONORING AQSA
FIGHTING FOR AQSA PARVEZ
AQSA PARVEZ'S HEADSTONE UPDATE
A Love Letter to (and from) Aqsa
CANADA: NO HEADSTONE MARKING HONOR KILLING VICTIM HELP ATLAS BUY AQSA PARVEZ A HEADSTONE
BTW, I still love the idea of a grove of trees - of any of my readers know of an arboretum or park where we could plant an orchard or grove please contact me at writeatlas@aol.com
UPDATE: Want to write to the Town of Pelham and praise them? clerks@pelham.ca (thanks to Jane)
UPDATE: Scott McLeod, the fire chief responsible for introducing the idea of a resolution to City Councilor Sharon Cook left this in the comments section:
I have been giving a lot of thought to the events leading up to and the final resolution of the Aqsa Parvez memorial. I truly believe we need to rethink our comments regarding this and many other similar events.
In my opinion the term honor killing is not appropriate for these tragedies. The reality is they are narcissistic/shame killings and should be referred to as such.
More importantly the conduct of many organizations and individuals after the event certainly does not meet the term honor in any respect. The members of the family, academic organizations, and many others should also hang their head in shame over their conduct.
I have been fortunate that for most of my adult life I have worked with people who understand what honor really is. During my time in the military and my career as a firefighter I have seen on a daily basis, citizens and people in uniform performing honorably.
Honor, is the Soldier who gives up his life for a higher purpose, in defense of citizens of Afghanistan or Iraq. They are there, knowing that when they leave, some small bit of freedom which we hold dear is being left behind.
Honor is the Police Officer who goes to work every day knowing that he may not return to his family, when daily dealing with some of the worst elements of our society. While giving respect and in fact life to the most downtrodden.
Honor is the Paramedic who lay in a pool of gasoline trying to keep a survivor of a car accident alive, long enough to get to a hospital.
Honor is the firefighter who crawls through hell to bring a victim of a fire out of a building.
Honor is the residents of Pelham who have little tolerance for people who are afraid to act as they should, with respect for children like Aqsa.
I have been lucky enough to work with people like this and the truth is, we are surrounded by these heroes every day. If you look around yourself you will see honor and honorable acts.
What happened to Aqsa, was not and never should be considered in any way related to honor. It is shame and narcissism which caused this incident, the narcissism of her father who would not allow a child to become an ordinary teen of her country.
My friend Neo has a posting on his blog in which he describes the event as “Dying to become Canadian”, I can’t really state it any better than that.
The real heroes and the persons of honor in this incident are the Aqsa, who died for her beliefs, Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer who created the fund in her memory.
In addition my friend Norman, a fellow firefighter, who worked so hard to make this happen and was confronted with PC madness. I have to thank my personal heroes, Councilor Sharon Cook and John Durley who ensured that the memorial would be created.
I am not articulate enough to tell the story of the honor and shame of this horrible event, but I know what honor looks like, I truly believe it’s easy to see who carries the shame, and who acts with honor
Scott McLeod
Fire Chief, Town of Pelham
