Published: September 10, 2009 05:27 pm      

We remember: Victims of 9-11 will never be forgotten

Today, eight years after that dark and horrific day, we once again pause to remember in prayer and silent observance the nearly 3,000 who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

We remember the victims of 9-11. Those innocent souls who perished at the hands of a group of cowardly but coordinated killers. Terrorists who struck at the very heart of America. The twin towers. The Pentagon. United Flight 93. We remember the families of the victims of 9-11, who are still struggling today with the unthinkable tragedy.

We remember the brave firefighters, rescue personnel and construction workers who dug through the rubble in a desperate search for survivors.

We remember the dead. But we also celebrate the resilience of the American spirit.

As a nation we declared war on terror. A war that continues to this very day. While the administration has changed, our resolve to win this war hasn’t wavered. It can’t.

Today — as declared by Congress and President Barack Obama — is a national day of service and remembrance.

A number of memorial services are planned locally, including a noon service at Chicory Square sponsored by the city of Bluefield, a silent parade sponsored by the town of Bramwell, and a “9/11 and Local First Responders Tribute” at David’s at the Club Ballroom at 1501 Whitethorn Street in Bluefield planned for Sunday at 4 p.m.

While eight years have now passed, the wounds of Sept. 11 are still fresh for many. The images of that fateful day still linger. The hijacked planes. The rubble of the towers. The heroic passengers on United Flight 93 — those brave men and women who launched the first salvo in the war against terror — by fighting back against the terrorists at the cost of their own lives.

The cowardly sneak attack eight years ago today on American soil left our great nation forever scarred. A vicious, horrendous and coordinated attack carried out against innocent civilians. A declaration of war on the United States of America. An attack by a madman and his followers on the greatest country on earth.

The terrorists didn’t defeat us. They didn’t win. They failed. While the battlefront is now shifting from Iraq to Afghanistan, the war on terror continues. The search for the madman responsible for these attacks continues.

Today, we pause to remember the heroes of 9-11. The innocent civilians in the World Trade Center. The employees in the Pentagon. The heroic passengers on United Flight 93. And the many, many firefighters, police officers and other public servants who gave their lives to help save and protect others.

Today we remember. Today we pray. Today we grow stronger.

God Bless America.