Lt. Governor Phil Scott Issues Statement on September 11
Lt. Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement on the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001:
“On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was sitting in my office, listening to the local radio station and taking care of everyday business. The newscaster reported that a plane had hit a building in New York City. I thought: “Maybe this was still just an accident. A horrible accident, but an accident nevertheless.” And I continued listening…while returning to the work on my desk.
“But then a second plane hit the other tower and it became obvious — even amongst all of the confusion and chaos — this wasn’t an accident. I then turned on the television and watched in disbelief as our world turned upside down.
“Even after 15 years I’m sure many others remember exactly where they were and what they were doing that morning. There are times when we watch our world change right before our eyes. Moments after which we know things will never be quite the same. Images we carry with us for the rest of our lives.
“For 15 years, we as Vermonters, and Americans, have carried those moments from September 11, 2001, when we literally saw life as we knew it crumble before our eyes.
“But we saw something else, too.
“We saw ourselves, as Americans, rise up, united. We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We saw American flags everywhere – on cars, highway overpasses, and people’s porches. We saw a sense of national pride that bound us together. No longer were we divided. We were one and felt a sense of kinship with our fellow Americans.
“More than 3,000 innocent people lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Hundreds of thousands more sacrificed loved ones, their everyday lives, and yes, their own lives, in the aftermath.
“I believe we can best honor those who never came home after September 11, 2001, by remembering we are, above all, Vermonters and Americans, and our capacity to honor the land of the free because of the brave is insurmountable.”
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