Commemorating the Fourth Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks

Today, our City once again observes the grim anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11.  The horror of that day will always be with us.  September 11 has worked its way into the very fiber of New York.  Today, sorrow is all around us.  And so is hope for our future.

It is only natural that we measure the progress of New York’s recovery and redemption in years passed since 9/11.  Throughout the year, as citizens and elected officials and family members work to reclaim and memorialize Ground Zero, we wonder “where will we be at the anniversary?” We recognize that in addition to a day of mourning, September 11 is a deadline and a benchmark for the effort.  We still have much work to do.  Many of our citizens are still suffering from the devastating environmental effects of the attacks, and in many cases their government has shamefully abandoned them. 

Tragically, this year, we see the events of 2001 through the lens of the ongoing disaster on the Gulf Coast.  The trials of the past weeks have reinforced that every inch of this country is hallowed ground for all of us.  Let New Yorkers resolve that, just as we showed exemplary valor and compassion in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, we will show exemplary dedication and mettle in the redemption of a great American city.

My thoughts and prayers, as ever, are with the families and friends of those we lost.