NEVER FORGET

It's been 9 years since the horrible attacks on our nation that left thousand's of innocent people dead, lives ruined and a whole in our hearts.  I worked for Senator Schumer at the time and that day kicked off months of non-stop developments as we attempted to deal with the losses to our community and losses of friends.

All of the priorities we worked on prior were put on hold on 9-11-2001 and answering the question's of why and how joined the rebuilding effort as top priorities.  For a time, the nation rallied and petty partisan differences were replaced with a profound sense of national urgency.  When President Bush stood atop the ruins at Ground Zero and vowed that we would answer the terrorists who attacked us, even I was with him.

Unfortunately, the national respite from partisanship quickly gave way to an even deeper partisan divide.  While history tells us that partisanship has always been present, and always will be, it's amazing how united we can be when threatened by an outside force.

We are all Americans and we should never forget that for all our political and social difference we are more alike then different.  We all believe in the rule of law and the protection of basic civil rights.  We all want a better life for our children.  We all believe in the promise of opportunity that is our great nation.  We all value freedom.

As we pause today to remember those lost on 9-11 and vow to never forget.  Let's also reflect on how fortunate we are to be Americans even in times of great crisis, there is not now or has there ever been a greater nation on earth.  God Bless America,