Joe Cunningham: “September 11, 2001 will long stand as one of the darkest days in U.S. history. But in the aftermath of those heinous…”

“September 11, 2001 will long stand as one of the darkest days in U.S. history. But in the aftermath of those heinous attacks on our nation, the world has seen us in what may well be our finest hours. With each passing hour after of the attacks on our nation's most enduring symbols, we learned about Americans reaching out to help their neighbors. All across the land, people were lining up to donate blood, giving their time at hospitals to treat victims and offering an untold amount of assets to the common cause of the disaster recovery. And we now know that the earliest heroes of this unprecedented tragedy even sacrificed their lives to spare far more Americans and their government from further horror. We thank all those who have risen to the challenge, and the many more sure to come to our aid in this time of crisis. You all exemplify what is best about our country and why we endure in good times and bad. Diverse and independent as we Americans are, we have never lost our underlying national unity. Our freedoms allow us to question other's views, and to publicly criticize our government. We are able to challenge the underlying principles of every public policy, and we are proud to do so for all Americans and the world to view. Some perceive those differences of opinion as a sign of weakness to be exploited, but they are what weave together the broad tapestry that is America and allows it to thrive as a superpower.”