I am a board member of a new national organization, Our Voices Together (OVT), that seeks to respond to terrorism in meaningful ways. One way each of us can help is to change the way we give gifts -- replacing gifts for which "it's the thought that counts" with gifts that make a difference. Instead of giving Aunt Sally another sweater to fill her closet, make a donation in her honor to a charity that addresses the social conditions on which terrorism thrives.

The Gifts That Count gift shop, at http://www.ourvoicestogether.org, was created to facilitate such giving. You can honor Aunt Sally with a tax-deductible donation to provide life-saving job skills to widows in Afghanistan, train birth attendants in Nepal, pay for school supplies in Pakistan, send Israeli and Palestinian youth to summer camp together, restore the childhood of former carpet slaves in India, or plant trees in Haiti, for example. Find something that fits Aunt Sally's interest. OVT will send her a certificate, tailored to your specifications; send 100 percent of the donation to the designated charity; and send you a receipt for your tax records. Take advantage of half-price and two-for-one specials, sponsored by a family that wants to encourage donations for projects in Pakistan and Afghanistan because of the recent earthquake. OVT is not the only organization that offers such gifts. If Aunt Sally is an animal lover, be sure to check out the Heifer International gift shop, at http://www.heifer.org, which operates similarly.

Like many in the Cornell community, my wife and I lost loved ones on Sept. 11, 2001 -- good friends Leslie Whittington, Charles Falkenberg and their two children, ages 8 and 3, on the plane that struck the Pentagon. Since then, we have struggled with how to respond to terrorism appropriately. We are frustrated that our nation's response has been limited primarily to military action and homeland security. Although those responses are necessary to address immediate threats, they leave intact the social conditions that fuel terrorism. Most terrorists are not poor, or even poorly educated, but they feed on the extreme poverty and powerlessness of hundreds of millions of people in the developing world.

Earlier this year we joined with a small group who also lost loved ones on 9/11 to form OVT, with the objective of empowering ourselves and others to take actions that "build a safer, more compassionate world," and with the generous support of the husband and daughters of Norma Steuerle, another passenger on the Pentagon plane. A short video on OVT's website, "In Their Own Voices," provides a compelling explanation of our objectives.

Changing gift-giving practices is just one of many actions a person can take. It may be a small step for an individual, but imagine what a giant leap it would be if a significant share of Americans took this action. Your own gifts might inspire the recipients to do the same. You can also suggest the idea to your family members, friends and colleagues. Think about it -- then act!

-- David Stapleton 
Director, Cornell University Institute for Policy Research 
Board member, Our Voices Together