Dedication: gearing up for war

Abstract

The terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, that targeted the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, awakened the entire world to the absolute horror of megaterrorism. These were the most barbarous acts committed against the United States of America since December 7, 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor, “a day that will live in infamy.” The assault against America and the free world was so massive, so unimaginable, and so unprecedented that even on the publication of this special issue of Clinics in Dermatology we find the events difficult to fathom. Several thousands of innocent victims of terrorism perished in the crash of planes, in the destruction of buildings, and in the aftermath of the devastation. Such horrid terrorist attacks were immediately recognized by the vast majority of the world community as vicious. These were evil-doing acts against civilization, freedom, and most of all, humanity. These actions contravene all sensible religious and human values. In the weeks after the September tragedy, we have seen that persons in leading positions with significant responsibilities, regardless of race, color, or religion, must not only denounce and condemn every type of terrorism but also fight this evil and eliminate its roots and motives from the face of the earth. We now know that we must acknowledge the possibility of more catastrophic terrorist acts, including the use of weapons of mass destruction, be they chemical, biologic, or nuclear, and that we must be prepared. We must deny potential terrorists access to facilities and to technology that they might use in their evil doings. They should be held accountable for their crimes. What happened on September 11, 2001, concerns the entire world as one community, Scientists and physicians are committed to helping mankind; they need the moral voice of every nation and have the commitment to speak out on this important issue. They have the obligation to be at the forefront of the dedicated efforts to protect the health and life of everyone. Dermatologists, in particular, should have the full knowledge of megaterrorist weapons and learn how to handle their hazardous effects. We must stay alert and have the expertise to deal with any crisis. The cardinal challenge facing civilized nations is the preservation of the integrity of their values and the ethical standards of respect for human dignity. Allowing disrespect for human rights and the violation of international law will play into the hands of the terrorists. We, as the guest editors, and our contributors dedicate this special issue of Clinics in Dermatology to the memory of the innocent victims of 9/11. We must ensure that the continuation of our message of hope and our responsibility toward humanity and future generations will continue. We are committed to promoting knowledge, to developing scientific research and continuing medical education, and to solving community health problems. All of this will contribute to building stable and solid societies so that the September tragedies must never occur again. From the Amman Clinic, Amman, Jordan, and the Department of Dermatology, Tulane University, School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana; the Department of Dermatology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel; and the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Address correspondence to Oumeish Youssef Oumeish, MD, FRCP (Glasgow), PO Box 65, Prince Rashid Suburb, Amman 11831, Jordan. E-mail: oumeishdermatol@hotmail.com