This morning, at 8:46 a.m., people around the country paused and observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. On that exact moment 13 years ago, the first plane crashed into the Twin Towers. At the site of the World Trade Center, in a field in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon the names of all 2,983 victims were read aloud in special memorial services.
In his speech this morning (which you can read in its entirety here), President Obama referenced the book of James, saying:
Scripture tells us, “We count as blessed those who have persevered … Here, once more, we pray for the souls of those we remember, for you, their families, who love them forever, and for a nation that has been inspired by your example—your determination to carry on, your resolve to live lives worthy of their memories. As Americans, we draw strength from you. For your love is the ultimate rebuke to the hatred of those who attacked us that bright, blue morning. They sought to do more than bring down buildings or murder our people. They sought to break our spirit and to prove to the world that their power to destroy was greater than our power to persevere and to build. But you, and America, proved them wrong.
