Political Quotes

“I rise today to remember the precious lives lost 13 years ago in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Our perception of the world changed in very dramatic ways by sunset on that day of infamy and we awoke on September 12 to what we believed to be a much more dangerous reality. We have learned a number of lessons since that day. Some were crystal clear almost immediately while others required us to walk a more difficult path to gain clarity. As we reflect on the 13th anniversary of 9/11, I would like to remind my colleagues of the two principles that can serve as our anchor amidst uncertainty and stormy circumstances. First is that the followers of Osama bin Laden turned the openness and freedom of American society against us by savagely using civilian passenger jets as missiles to demolish the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and destroy a large section of the Pentagon. They wield the weapons of fear, chaos, and destruction. We must remember that our foundation is built on freedom, justice, and equality. The greatest weapon in our arsenal is not a munition or aircraft but our light that remains shining upon the hill. Ours is the greatest democracy this planet has ever known and that is why it is a threat to those who seek darkness and destruction. We build, we progress, we encourage, we respect, but we do not sink to the level of our adversaries even if that means the fight is not fair.…”