Couple uses wedding to protest terrorism

New York - Rob Cass loves Jackie Forster. He also loves New York, its crowds and its buzz, and deplores what happened here on Sept. 11, 2001.

So it was, in his words, "kind of a mixed message" when Cass, 44, and Forster, 40, were married on the balcony of Grand Central Terminal as the concourse teemed with homebound rail commuters during a Friday afternoon rush hour.

"In all honesty I am opposed to the war in Iraq but I will not be intimidated by terrorism," explained Cass, a Dublin-born music producer who now divides his time between London and New York.

In a telephone interview minutes after the ceremony, Cass recalled that he was with some friends in New York when terrorist hijackers flew two jetliners into the World Trade Center, destroying the twin towers and killing nearly 2,800 people.

The impact of the disaster on the city he calls "my spiritual home" affected him as well. "It was unbelievable. I was in a state of shock," he said.

Ever since, he has wanted to do something that would convey his feelings about the attack and the need to defy terrorism. He found the answer in deciding to be married in one of New York's most famous settings. Forster, whom he met five years ago in London, agreed.

"I know it sounds kind of corny, but we wanted to make this statement," he said. "We wanted to say that you cannot be scared to be out in the open, so I chose the most beautiful building in the world. Grand Central is my favorite building."

Rev. Laurie Sue performed the ceremony, with music writer Jeff Cohen as best man. Cass said "bridal music" was playing on the station's public address system. "I don't know why. It just happened," he said. -- Reuters

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