Let me speak directly to veterans and people in uniform: The cause you pursued at the call of duty is the noblest America has to offer. But one thing is certain: We owe an assurance to all who have fought our nation’s most recent battles. The military measures taken over the last 20 years to pursue dangers at their source have led to debate. And it is our continuing duty to confront them.Īfter 9/11, millions of brave Americans stepped forward and volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces. But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. And we have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. The security measures incorporated into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability. Many Americans struggled to understand why an enemy would hate us with such zeal.
#9 11 FIREFIGHTER REMEMBRANCE QUOTES FULL#
Bush's full 9/11 20th anniversary memorial speechĪs a nation, our adjustments have been profound. After wandering long and lost in the dark, many have found they were actually walking, step by step, toward grace. But comfort can come from a different sort of knowledge. There is no simple explanation for the mix of providence and human will that sets the direction of our lives. Many of us have tried to make spiritual sense of these events. And we found that even the longest days end. We vividly felt how every hour with our loved ones was a temporary and holy gift. We learned that bravery is more common than we imagined, emerging with sudden splendor in the face of death. We saw that Americans were vulnerable, but not fragile – that they possess a core of strength that survives the worst that life can bring. In those fateful hours, we learned other lessons as well. There are many who still struggle with a lonely pain that cuts deep within. All that many could hear was God’s terrible silence. All that many could feel was unearned suffering.
All that many people could initially see was the brute randomness of death. It would be a mistake to idealize the experience of those terrible events. And many who are now alive owe a vast, unconscious debt to the defiance displayed in the skies above this field. Here the intended targets became the instruments of rescue. In these memories, the passengers and crew of Flight 93 must always have an honored place. In the sacrifice of the first responders, in the mutual aid of strangers, in the solidarity of grief and grace, the actions of an enemy revealed the spirit of a people. There was shock at the audacity – audacity of evil – and gratitude for the heroism and decency that opposed it. There was horror at the scale – there was horror at the scale of destruction, and awe at the bravery and kindness that rose to meet it. Today we remember your loss, we share your sorrow, and we honor the men and women you have loved so long and so well.įor those too young to recall that clear September day, it is hard to describe the mix of feelings we experienced. These lives remain precious to our country, and infinitely precious to many of you.
The world was loud with carnage and sirens, and then quiet with missing voices that would never be heard again. Twenty years ago, we all found – in different ways, in different places, but all at the same moment – that our lives would be changed forever. Governor Wolf, Secretary Haaland, and distinguished guests: Madam Vice President, Vice President Cheney.
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