The Brian Lehrer Show: Decade 9/11

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

10:00 AM

Join Brian Lehrer as he kicks off WNYC's coverage of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with a special show—live from Montclair State University—about the impact of 9/11 on New Jersey and its residents. Guests will include Tom Kean, former Governor and head of the 9/11 Commission, and MaryEllen Salamone, co-founder of Families of September 11.

The show will feature a range of guests from New Jersey and will consider 9/11 through various lenses, including politics, education, and community.  In addition, the program will dedicate a segment to a town hall-style conversation on the idea of "town" and the particular meaning that concept has in New Jersey. 

Segments and guests will include:

  • Former Governor and head of the 9-11 Commission, Tom Kean will join Brian to talk politics and re-examine the work of the 9-11 Commission.
  • A panel of New Jersey leaders, thinkers, residents to reflect on how September 11th affected their communities.
    Confirmed panelists: Reverend Bill Howard, Bethany Baptist Church in Newark; Dawn Zimmer, mayor of Hoboken; Nancy Gagnier, executive director of South Orange Maplewood Community Coalition on Race; Joey Rizzolo a WNYC Radio Rookie from Paramus; Mohamed El Filali, executive director of The Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson; Melissa Walker, musician and director of Jazz House Kids in Montclair; Ravinder Bhalla, Hoboken city councilman and first Sikh elected official in Hoboken; Cris Thorne, recent college graduate and budding filmmaker from Maplewood.
  • Teaching 9/11 
    Ten years ago, students were in classrooms when the events of 9-11 happened and teachers led the very first conversations young people had about that day, This year, for the first time, there is a free K-12 curriculum available to educators written by entitled “Learning from the Challenges of Our Times: Global Security, Terrorism, and 9/11 in the Classroom,” written by volunteer group that includes members of the Families of September 11, Liberty Science Center, and the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.  Lehrer and guests will discuss the curriculum and explore what teachers have learned from talking to kids about 9/11 for 10 years. 
    Confirmed guest:
    MaryEllen Salamone, Co-founder of Families of September 11
  • 5 Reasons You Love Your Town.  5 Reasons You Don’t. 
    WNYC Senior Reporter
    Bob Hennelly, NJ Spotlight’s John Mooney, NJTV Reporter David Cruz, and Baristanet’s Debbie Galant will lead a townhall segment about New Jersey towns. Brian and guests will explore what the state’s hundreds and hundreds of municipalities mean to New Jersey hearts and minds, and what they mean for governance and economics.