Statement from Rep. Dan Goldman on the Anniversary of September 11

“On this day 24 years ago, America endured the worst attack on home soil in her history. On that day we lost 3,000 of our loved ones, neighbors, and friends from a coordinated terrorist attack by a group that hated freedom and democracy.  

“Living in downtown Manhattan on September 11th, I will never forget watching the second plane hit the Towers and the soot-covered people walking up Hudson Street. 

“Nor will I forget what came after. The thousands of heroes who rushed towards danger to save their fellow New Yorkers, and those who spent months digging out from a poisonous pile of rubble. 

“I will never forget how Americans of all backgrounds, from every corner of the country, came together in solidarity. The small acts of kindness we showed one another; the visible effort of reaching across barriers that seemed indomitable.  

“That legacy of patriotism, of remembering what unites us more than what divides us, is one we need to hold close — now more than ever. We need to remember and honor the selfless example of the first responders who died to save the lives of their fellow Americans without knowing who they were saving or where they came from — just that they needed saving.  

“It shouldn’t be — it cannot be — that only in tragedy do we see the humanity in one another.  

“For many New Yorkers, September 11 is a day we carry with us always: in every crisp blue sky, every moment of silence; a small memory that emerges.  

“On this anniversary of that terrible day, we must redouble our efforts to not only remember the lives lost but also to find inspiration from the patriotism, unity and brotherhood we felt in its aftermath. 

“That is who we are. That is what this country stands for.” 

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