| HISTORICAL EVENTS Arlington Remembers September 11
September 11, 2002
We will never forget September 11,
2001. It is our duty to remember and commemorate the fallen heroes of
that fateful day. As Lt. Col. John McCrae said in the 1915 poem
"In Flanders Fields":
To you from failing hands we
throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
We will hold the torch of their
memory high.
Today, it has been exactly one year
since the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon,
and in the skies over Pennsylvania. During one of the most trying
times in American history, we watched as our American way of life was
viciously attacked. We were stunned, shocked, angered, outraged,
saddened, disgusted…and proud—proud of our fellow Americans for
banding together in the aftermath. I look upon September 11, 2001, as
one of our finest moments; a time in which Americans, regardless of
race, ethnicity, and religious affiliation, came together to show
solidarity and purpose to those who would rob us of life and liberty.
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HEROES, HONOR, HOPE
All proceeds from the sale of this window go to New York Police and
Fire Widow's & Children's Benefit Fund, Inc. |
The firefighters and police of New
York City were the most visible heroes of September 11, giving their
lives so that others would be saved. We also learned of ordinary
citizens who became extraordinary heroes; men like Todd Beamer, and
other passengers of Flight 93, who sacrificed their lives preventing
the doomed flight from reaching its final destination, Washington,
D.C. We witnessed men and women across our nation donating blood,
contributing to relief funds, hosting candlelight vigils, raising
American flags, and enlisting in the military.
As I’ve said, September 11, 2001,
was America’s finest hour—a showcase of heroism.
We are here today to honor those
heroes. We honor and remember those who passed in the attacks of
September 11. We honor the families and friends of those victims. We
honor our soldiers serving in the Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines.
We honor police. We honor firefighters. And we honor the American
citizen who does his part to help fight terror, from the first-grader
who donates their milk money to relief funds, to the senior citizen
who gives blood that will one day save another’s life. This day, we
celebrate American heroes. Thank you for all that you do.
Mayor, City of Arlington
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