2,996: A Tribute to Sareve Dukat, a Victim of 9/11

Sareve Dukat. Courtesy of the 2,996: A Tribute to the Victims of 9/11 project.

Sareve Dukat kept her composure, even though the United States was under attack by Islamo-fascists, drunk on religion, hatred, and a lust for power. The date was September 11, 2001. An airliner full of civilians was just cynically rammed into tower #1 of the World Trade Center in New York City. Ms. Dukat would not survive the day that has become the defining moment for a generation of Americans, myself included.

Dukat, who was working on the 87th floor of tower #2, calmly called her family to tell them that she was alright and that she would stay at her desk. But the brief calm would not last, as Islamic lunatics drove another plane full of innocent passengers into WTC tower #2, and into the heart of one of the world's greatest and most diverse cities, stealing the miraculous gift of life away from Sareve, and 2,995 other people.

At first, as New Yorkers bravely shook off the shock of the savage attack on their fair and proud city, Sareve was listed as "missing," as were so many other 911 victims. Authorities sifted through dust and ashes in a struggle to identify victims. Many were only accounted for based on a process of eliminating evidence, lacking any bodily remains. Sareve was confirmed dead.

According to Sareve's daughter, Athena:

Sareve Dukat is survived by mother Ann Dukat, brother Paul Dukat, husband Joel Shapiro, daughter Lauren Shapiro and daughter Athena Dawn Shapiro. We miss you.

Simple, concise, sad, but not fearful. A noble testament by a noble family to a noble loved-one.

Sareve was a Manhattan resident, 53 years old, and was employed as a tax conferee for the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Ms. Dukat contributed to life by helping New Yorkers deal with state tariffs -- maybe not glamorous, but she was a regular person like most of the world's inhabitants, and most regular people are decent folks. Just gaze at the kindness and innocent spontaneity exuded by Sareve's photo above.

Who killed Sareve and for what reason? Nineteen rich boys from the Arabian Gulf region, high on Mohammed and violence, striving to create some kind of world-wide utopian, Islamist caliphate -- another "ism" like communism or fascism; a solution looking for a problem. These homicide bombers were cannon-fodder for the latest incarnation of the devil, who comes in every age and goes by many names, like Osama bin Laden, Genghis Kahn, Caligula, Moctezuma, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc.

Notice I use the term "Islamist", not Islam. The Islamists have hijacked a religion from the 1.2 billion Muslims who go about their lives minding their own business.

G#d only knows how Sareve and the other 911 victims would have touched the lives of those around them, and contributed to human kind -- that is, if they were not senselessly killed. I feel that I cannot honor Ms. Dukat without pointing out who killed her, and asking why her life was needlessly taken away. By fighting hatred, I honor Sareve.

The Islamist tactic, fueled by hatred, is to strike such horror into "infidels" so that we will bow our heads in submission, allowing these radicals to forcibly mold the world in their twisted vision, and sweep human beings like Ms. Dukat under the rug -- the terrorists believe that their means justify the end.

Was Sareve guilty of some crime, justifying her savage murder by al-Qaeda's Islamo-fascists? No, but unfortunately there are those in our society who would rationalize Sareve's death, proof-positive that terrorism works; all the more reason to learn the lessons of 911, which seem too easily forgotten.

So let us not rationalize murder and hide under our beds because of our fears. Let us honor the victims of 911, like Ms. Dukat, and agree that we will fight to the end to protect our freedoms and way of life. Never again. Liberty forever. And let us keep cool heads in our struggle, as Sareve did on 911. Dear Sareve, rest in peace, and know that we will not forget you.

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