September 11 Remembrance

September 11, 2009

 

Good morning and thank you Councilman Mendoza and the City of Bladensburg for putting this tribute together.

Eight years ago, our nation was attacked. We lost friends, family, neighbors, and, for many of us, our lives were touched by the deaths of men and women we never met.

Today, we remember the 2,966 Americans, Britons, Koreans and other innocent men and women from across the globe who were killed on that fateful Tuesday morning on our soil. And we remember the 23 Prince Georgians – our neighbors – who never signed up to be a hero, but were taken from us in an act of war nonetheless.

In the hours, days, months and years since the attacks, we’ve shed tears for the victims, mourned their deaths and honored their untimely sacrifice. But we’ve also been strengthened by their loss.

In the hours, days, months and years since the towers fell and Pentagon burned, we’ve held each up and given each other the support we need. We’ve broken down walls that kept us from neighbors and relearned the importance of community.

And it’s fitting, today, that we stand in this park which nearly 200 years ago was the site of another attack on our soil; a place where an early generation of Americans put their differences aside to provide strength and support not just for each other, but for the young nation they loved.

So today, as we remember and reflect on the tragedy of September 11, 2001, we have an obligation as Americans and neighbors to revisit those days after the attacks when we forgot about the things that divided us and found comfort in what brings us together.

Today is a National Day of Service and our President has called on each of us to honor those who were killed on 9/11 by remembering their sacrifice and pledging to give back to our communities.

So, today, Americans from every state are joining hands on projects that promote the common good and break down the walls of division that have sadly been reconstructed over the years. Americans from across the nation are introducing themselves to neighbors they’ve never met.

They’re rebuilding communities that have been devastated by natural disaster and poverty. They’re sharing their time with seniors and wounded veterans. Most importantly, they are protecting the memory and legacy of those 2,966 lives, including 23 Prince Georgians and 50 from across Maryland.

So please join me in a moment of silence to remember those who died and reflect on the families they left to our care.

Thank you. God bless and God bless America.

 

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