From the White House: In this week’s address, President Obama marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks and paid tribute to the victims, survivors, first responders, and those who have served our country.
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The moment of silence was originally slotted to take place at 9:37 AM – the time at which the Pentagon was attacked on September 11 – but ended up taking place a few minutes early. “That we do not let others divide us”. We’ve prevented attacks. We’ve saved lives.
Secretary Carter, Chairman Dunford, outstanding members of our Armed Forces, and most of all, survivors of that September day and the families of those we lost – it is a great honor, once again, to be with you on this day, a day that I know is still hard, but which reveals the love and faithfulness in your hearts and in the heart of our nation.
But he said he felt a sense of hope: “There are more people here today than there ever have been”.
“Perhaps most of all, we stay true to the spirit of this day by defending not only our country, but also our ideals”.
“Because of the millions of service members who have volunteered to serve and sacrifice since that fateful day 15 years ago, the United States has hammered those who attacked us “with every manner and measure of American power”, Carter said, “[by] choking terrorist networks, thwarting looming attacks and bringing Osama bin Laden to eternal justice”.
“May god bless the memory of the loved ones here, and across the country”. We honor the courage of those who put themselves in harm’s way to save people they never knew.
As we reflect on these past 15 years, it’s also important to remember what has not changed-the core values that define us as Americans.
The question before us, as always, is: How do we preserve the legacy of those we lost?
“We’ll never forget the horror of September 11, 2001”, Clinton said in a brief statement.
He said the USA still faces terrorist threats, often on a “smaller but still deadly scale”, but said the US has “strengthened our homeland security”.
“We remember, and we will never forget the almost 3,000 lovely lives taken from us so cruelly”, Obama began his final September 11 anniversary memorial as President of the United States.
The president said extremist groups such as the Islamic State group and al-Qaida know they can never drive down the US, so they focus on trying to instill fear in hopes of trying to get Americans to change how they live. Obama touched on the incomprehensible violence Americans have suffered in Boston, San Bernardino, and Orlando.
In an indirect reference to the controversial campaign rhetoric of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Obama recalled that Americans were “a people drawn from every corner of the world, every colour, every religion, every background”.
“In the end, the most enduring memorial to those we lost is ensuring the America that we continue to be”, Obama noted, adding, “That we stay true to ourselves”. The President said that’s part of what makes our country great – and if we uphold those values, we will carry on the legacy of those we lost and keep our nation strong and free.
Meanwhile, the crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years, though over 1,000 survivors, recovery workers, victims’ relatives and dignitaries attended last year. That’s why we Americans will never give in to fear.
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“Those who were taken from us prematurely will be able to look down and know that their lives had meaning”, the chairman said. They remain in our hearts today.
