Every American, and especially every New Yorker, knows the world changed on September 11th, 2001. I hope you’ll pause, as I do each year on this day, to honor those who were lost, to reaffirm our commitment to one another, and to recall the lessons that terrible day taught us.
On that clear, perfect September morning, unimaginable terror reached from desolate, dusty nations half a world away and attempted to break the spirit of this great country. The world learned an important lesson that day, and not the one Osama Bin Laden thought he would deliver. The world learned that America is resilient and that adversity, no matter how terrible, calls out the best in us. On September 11th a failed ideology of extremism and hatred didn’t break our spirit; it summoned American courage and determination.
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The example set on September 11th by our fellow Americans is one we should look to again: as a nation our unity, strength, sacrifice, endurance and compassion stood strong in the face of evil. It reminded those who seek to rule by repression, fear, violence, and extremism that they will never overcome the exceptional character and will of the American people. We promised that day to never again stand idly and let terror come to us; we vowed to stop it before it could reach the homeland, and to use every tool – intelligence, diplomacy, culture, and military assets – to do just that.
Today, as the rising threat from ISIS has drawn America’s attention once again to the Middle East, it is vital that we recall the circumstances of 9/11, and take smart, considered, and appropriate actions to prevent ISIS and other extremist terror groups from threatening our way of life. If left unchecked ISIS could destabilize the entire Middle East, undo the work Americans have done to stabilize the region, and become an increased threat to the homeland.
The cruelty, barbarism, and savagery that are the hallmark of ISIS must be confronted sooner rather than later. Allowing another extreme, radical Islamic group to rise after American forces brought Bin Laden to justice would betray those who lost their lives on September 11th, and all who have sacrificed since then in defense of freedom. Action against ISIS will not be undertaken lightly, or without a clear plan on what America’s long-term strategy is in the region.
A final remembrance on this day is also fitting. We remember those lost in the attacks, but we should also recall those they left behind. Their pain is still fresh, their lives still affected.
To the families of all those who lost their lives on that fateful day in New York, at the Pentagon, and on Flight 93, your loss is etched in the memories and hearts of all Americans. To families of the bold and tireless first responders who gave all on that day, and in the days that followed, know that your loved ones’ passing left a shining example of courage and sacrifice in the face of terror and darkness. Your loved ones, and your families, will forever be in our prayers.
