Remembering 9/11

Floor Speech

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today we remember 9/11. The President, First Lady and Vice President led a moment of silence at the White House this morning. The anniversary was observed at the Pentagon, at Ground Zero in New York, and in a field in Shanksville, PA. Across the country, we are connected by the sadness we all feel as we reflect on the lives lost, some 3,000 Americans, to this blatant act of terrorism.

We can all recall that moment. I recall looking down the Mall toward the Washington Monument and watching the black smoke billowing across the Mall from the Pentagon, where that deadly crash took the lives of passengers on that plane and innocent people working in defense of America. That was a moment that will never be forgotten.

There's a Hebrew word used in the Old Testament known as "selah.'' It doesn't have an easy translation but it is meant to serve as a pause-and-consider moment between passages. At 8:46 a.m. this morning, we observed a moment of silence to remember those souls lost on that day. We should all experience a "selah'' moment today because we will never forget 9/11. Pause and consider, pause and remember.

Thirteen years later, we still live in the shadow of the fallen towers of the World Trade Center and the attack on the Pentagon. Al Qaeda brought its darkness to our shores and took the lives of innocent people. President John F. Kennedy said, "We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future.''

It was in our bleakest moments in those tragic days that we found the light. Remember the outpouring of compassion and common purpose that united us on 9/11 and for weeks after. The attacks were the worst humanity could provide. Our response as a people was the best. The American people are always the candle that guides us.

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