Rep. John Lewis on the Anniversary of 9/11

Statement

"Thirteen years have passed since the 9/11 disaster reshaped the course of American history. We can never forget the thousands of innocent lives that were lost on that day or the thousands of families whose future was forever changed.

"It is a day that no one who lived through it will ever forget, and looking back to that day teaches us many lessons. One of those lessons is that we are a nation that does endure, and when we pull together, we can overcome even the greatest tragedy and the most transformative loss. My prayers remain with the families and survivors in New York, Washington, DC, Virginia, and Pennsylvania who have moved forward out of necessity, but who can never recapture what they lost that day.

"A great president once said, 'There is nothing to fear but fear itself'. And it was this declaration by President Roosevelt that helped to define what historians now call "the greatest generation' of World War II Americans. They demonstrate that it is our reaction to challenge that helps define who we are.

"Today let us reflect upon our past and all the struggles we have had to survive and ultimately transmute to establish this great nation. And let us reflect upon what will be required of us in this generation to one day rid our nation and the world community of violence of every kind. Let us use this moment of sorrow and contemplation to consider what we must give and what action we must take to help build a Beloved Community, a nation and a world that is finally at peace with itself.

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