When I began writing this morning, I didn’t plan to write about today being 9/11. Then as the morning progressed, the spirit began to move me. It didn’t feel right to not write something about the 22nd anniversary of that horrible day.

This date always brings back a flood of memories, as it does for everyone old enough to remember the day in 2001. As soon as it happened, the first name to pop up for blame was Osama bin Laden. His name had become known for carrying out acts of Islamic terrorism. He founded al-Qaeda in 1988 and remained its leader until his death. So, it was not a surprise to learn that the terrorists who carried out the attacks on 9/11/01 were trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. The United States responded accordingly and the rest is history.

There are some things I’ll never forget. Besides the unthinkable terror attacks, the bravery of those who were first responders that day is unforgettable. Many understood they were running toward their deaths, yet they acted. Twenty-two years later, the remains of victims are still being recovered. The remains of a man and a woman have been identified, though their identities have not been announced, at the request of the families.

One unsung hero is New York City Chief Medical Examiner Jason Graham. He said he has made a “solemn pledge” to return victims to their loved ones and his work continues. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost in Lower Manhattan. His office uses DNA sequencing techniques to test body fragments recovered in the rubble. So far, 1,649 victims have been identified. About 40% of the victims have not been identified. The last positive identifications were two years ago, in 2021. Before that it was in 2019. Graham calls it “the largest and most complex forensic investigation in the history of our country.”

Mayor Adams released a statement.

“As we prepare to mark the anniversary of September 11, our thoughts turn to those we lost on that terrible morning and their families, who continue to live every day with the pain of missing loved ones,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a press release.

“We hope these new identifications can bring some measure of comfort to the families of these victims, and the ongoing efforts by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner attest to the city’s unwavering commitment to reunite all the World Trade Center victims with their loved ones,” he said.

One memory that endures is how we came together as a country in our grief and disbelief of the events of that day. I rarely give the New York Times credit for its reporting but I admit, I took out a (very) short-term subscription of the newspaper because of their obituary section after 9/11/01. One of my quirks is that I find the stories of the lives of people interesting. The Times did a stellar job in it obits of the victims. Back then, real newspapers were still delivered to our homes and I read that paper each day for that reason. Regular Americans are living fascinating everyday lives and those obits were proof of that.

Would our country come together again as it did then? I like to think so but the truth is, I’m not so sure. In 2001, we were clearly a divided nation politically. The 2000 election of Bush and Cheney tore us apart. Democrats refused to accept the election results. They were, in fact, election-deniers. Some House Democrats refused to vote to confirm the election results. We forget about that now but it happened.

I remember being grateful that Bush was president and not Al Gore. Gore was a vice president during Bill Clinton’s administration and they ignored the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Al-Qaeda continued to flourish without consequences. Would Joe Biden be able to bring the country together as Bush did? I don’t think so. He was so eager to have America’s longest war over that he pulled all American troops out of Afghanistan, ignoring advice from the military and intelligence consultants, with disastrous results. Thirteen American service members died that day. He has no leadership skills, he is too divisive.

George W. Bush rose to the occasion.

“I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!” – W pic.twitter.com/CJ3iCRCk0u

— Classic Republicans (@gopclassics) September 11, 2023

I know it's football season right now, but there may never be a greater sports moment than George Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankees Stadium after 9/11.#WeRemember pic.twitter.com/kNqxwEYiFw

— Jake Wilkins (@JakeWilkns) September 11, 2023

There are a lot of political memories, because I am a political person. I can’t forget that news anchors were so quick to criticize Bush for his calm reaction, trying to keep the rest of the country calm and reassured that he was in charge. Was he supposed to bolt out of that elementary school classroom and scare the children? How would that help anything? He flew on Air Force One to various locations because of security concerns. He was criticized for not rushing right back to D.C. It was all political posturing by Democrats and their mouthpieces in the media. I’ll not forget it.

Some still use 9/11/01 as political talking points. Some blame America for terror attacks against our country. Some concern seems hypocritical today. Some people did something.

22 years ago our country faced a moment of unthinkable tragedy and unspeakable heroism. Amidst the darkness, it also became a day that showcased the indomitable spirit of the American people.

Let's always stand together as a symbol of hope and solidarity as we did on that…

— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) September 11, 2023

This is utterly disingenuous and everyone knows it. Take all the seats. #somepeopledidsomething

— Chicks On The Right (@chicksonright) September 11, 2023

We won’t forget.

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