Sam Gibbons: “words cannot begin to express the emotions that Americans all across this country are experiencing after Tuesday's…”

“words cannot begin to express the emotions that Americans all across this country are experiencing after Tuesday's events. We are all grief stricken. We are stunned. We are amazed. We are angry. And amongst these emotions, we are just simply trying to make sense of it all. Well, Mr. Speaker, I stand here to say that it is impossible to make sense of it all. It is impossible to make sense of the loss; possibly in the tens of thousands of Americans have lost their lives in these recent terrorist attacks. Innocent civilians, military officers, men and women not fighting a war but innocent mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, who were only going about their daily routine. I would like to reiterate the words expressed by Leonard Pitts, a columnist for the Miami Herald, who is also trying to make sense of these recent events, and I quote: ``Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned Your cause. Did you want us to fear you? You just steeled our resolve. Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.'' Yes, Mr. Speaker, we are a united Nation, a united country, the United States, today, tomorrow, and forever, and we will overcome.”