On 10th Anniversary, Obama Calls for Return to Post-9/11 Unity
EmailOn the 10th anniversary of 9/11, President Obama urges Americans to reclaim the sense of unity and “common purpose” that brought the country together after the deadly attacks.
“The worst terrorist attack in American history also brought out the best in our country,” the president writes in a USA Today op-ed. “This is the true spirit of America. We must reclaim this anniversary – the ordinary goodness and patriotism of the American people and the unity that we needed to move forward together, as one nation.
“As a nation, we face difficult challenges, and as citizens in a democratic society, we engage in vigorous debates about the future. But as we do, let’s never forget the lesson we learned anew 10 years ago – that our differences pale beside what unites us and that when we choose to move forward together, as one American family, the United States doesn’t just endure, we can emerge from our tests and trials stronger than before,” Obama writes.
The president admits “that the last decade has been a challenging one for our country” but says today “our country is more secure and our enemies are weaker.
“The perpetrators of those attacks wanted to terrorize us, but they are no match for our resilience,” he writes. “While we have delivered justice to Osama bin Laden and put al Qaeda on the path to defeat, we must never waver in the task of protecting our nation.”
The president also reflects on his own experience on that day. “Like every American, I’ll never forget how I heard the terrible news, on the car radio, on my way to work in Chicago,” he writes. “Yet like a lot of younger Americans, our daughters have no memory of that day. Malia was just 3; Sasha was an infant. As they’ve grown, Michelle and I faced the same challenge as other parents in deciding how to talk with our children about 9/11.” The president notes that one of the things he and his wife have told their daughters about that day is how the attacks united the country.
Obama will commemorate the anniversary by visiting the three locations where lives were lost. On Sunday, the president and first lady will participate in events at ground zero in New York City, in Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon in northern Virginia.
“Ten Septembers have come and gone since that awful morning. But on this 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we are summoned once more to honor those we lost by keeping our country strong and true to their memory,” Obama writes.
Best Commencement Speeches of 2012 
Joe Biden Recalls Death of Wife, Daughter
Hey I’m all in favor of the 9/12 movement as is Glenn Beck.
I’m glad the President is going to join us.
I’ll toast him with a beer at an upcoming Tea Party meeting.
Posted by: Noz | September 8, 2011, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
Evidently Obamas message has not reached the mainstream democrat party.. that is looking more and more like the Taliban
OBAMA______VS_______AMERICA
Posted by: Yep I said that | September 8, 2011, 2:08 pm 2:08 pm
FBI raids bankrupt solar company touted by Obama…
REPORT: Solyndra reps made 20 trips to WH before $500M award…
More corruption anticipated with the new and improved Obama PORKULUS plan
OBAMA_______VS________AMERICA
Posted by: Yep I said that | September 8, 2011, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
If he can’t get his base to pretend its November 4th 2008, what makes him think he can get the rest of the country to pretent its September 12th 2001?
Posted by: Larry | September 8, 2011, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
It is so sad that a call for unity can result in such negative comments here. The far-right just doesn’t understand that we are all in the same boat.
Posted by: Lydia | September 8, 2011, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Posted by: Lydia | September 8, 2011, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
It’s the same small group of haters Lydia that have nothing better to do.
Posted by: Jeff | September 8, 2011, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
Yes Lydia, such haters on the Right.Of course,we have never accused Barack Obama of mass murder like the Left -Wing truthers did with George Bush..Nor to my knowledge has anybody made a TV program about assasinating Barack Obama such as was done with George Bush.But what the heck-you can make up your own branches of government-make up your own facts,too.
Posted by: Nephron | September 8, 2011, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
Lydia, if we’re all in the same boat, then Captain Obama is scuttling the ship.
Posted by: Larry | September 8, 2011, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
I bet Obama could get his old Rev Wright to unite the country. What did the good Reverend say about the Sept. 11 attacks? “Our chickeeeeeens have come hoooooome to roost.” and “GOD DAMN AMERICA! GOD DAMN AMERICA!”
That’s some patriotic stuff right there.
Posted by: Larry | September 8, 2011, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
Nor to my knowledge has anybody made a TV program about assasinating Barack Obama such as was done with George Bush.But what the heck-you can make up your own branches of government-make up your own facts,too.
Posted by: Nephron | September 8, 2011, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
It wasn’t a TV show, it was a major motion picture, speaking of getting your facts right.
And President Bush’s actions did kill tens of thousands of Iraqis; men, women and children and tens of thousand more were maimed. Unfortunately there just weren’t any weapons of mass destruction there, but then again those tens of thousands of dead Iraqis were now ‘free’.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
Paul did you forget that Hillary Clinton,John Kerry,Harry Reid and mny other Democrats supported the move into Iraq?How many Iraqis were killed by the sanctions placed on Iraq during the Clinton administration?
Posted by: Nephron | September 8, 2011, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
That’s some patriotic stuff right there.
Posted by: Larry | September 8, 2011, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
I’ve listened to those speeches in their entirety and they actually were very patriotic speeches. Speaking of a nation’s strengths, as well as its weaknesses, is not unpatriotic. We all must question and review our own actions.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
Larry, it is pretty clear that Republicans leaders are ‘scuttling the ship’, by blocking legislation that would create American jobs (the one which really irked me was their refusing to sign on to a bill that would have increased the percentage of American goods purchased by the government and the military… can you imagine the money that would have pumped onto good American companies that haven’t out-sourced??), while wanting to throw Social Security and Medicare ‘overboard’ rather than increase taxes on the wealthy a small amount. They continue to block legislation that would end corporate tax loopholes. It is pretty clear from studying how they vote that they are only on the side of big corporations and the very wealthy.
My grandpa would be ashamed as to what the Republican Party platform has devolved to.
Posted by: Lydia | September 8, 2011, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
STOP THE FOOLISH SPENDING>>
Some here will support the Administration at all costs…. Do you realize that almost 50% of the country pays no taxes but are still drawing the benefits? You cannot keep spending like a drunken sailor…And as for uniting thie country…this president has been the most divisive I can remember in my lifetime…constant talk about right agianst left, rich against poor, white against black, latino, asian etc., chirstians against muslims.
Posted by: MJ | September 8, 2011, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Do you realize that almost 50% of the country pays no taxes but are still drawing the benefits?
Posted by: MJ | September 8, 2011, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
That’s not true MJ. Those people you’re talking about may not pay income tax, but they do payroll tax, many pay state taxes, gasoline tax, tobacco and alcohol taxes, sales taxes and so on . ..
Even if you took half of EVERYTHING that 50% owns and put it towards the country, it would amount to less than taxing the top 5% and a small rate of 2%. That’s if you take HALF OF WHAT THEY OWN!
The top 1% of Americans own more of the nation’s wealth than all of the combined wealth of the bottom 90% of the population. Think that over.
Posted by: Dennis | September 8, 2011, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
Yes Dennis. So what? Is it a crime to be successful? Maybe to the folks who don’t have the imagination or drive or ambition to better themseles.
Posted by: Nephron | September 8, 2011, 4:17 pm 4:17 pm
Obama urges Unity??? Really?? He condones statements from Jimmy Hoffa and has Commie thug Trumpka sitting with Michelle tonight. Give me a break. Obama is the agitator in chief and doesn’t give a damn about unity. Unity to him means everyone doing his bidding and seeing himself as the dictator. If Democrats didn’t get that Michael Moore sitting with Jimmy Carter at the Democrat Convention in 2004 didn’t turn millions of people away from them, they’ll have to learn it again tonight.
Posted by: Kala | September 8, 2011, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
And President Bush’s actions did kill tens of thousands of Iraqis; men, women and children and tens of thousand more were maimed.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
And how many have been killed under Obama’s watch? Do you think because the press isn’t reporting it, that it isn’t happening? How many have been killed or maimed in Libya by drones? We aren’t getting answers from the press because they will protect this man at all costs. What HAS been reported is August 2011 was the DEADLIEST month yet for US TROOPS in Afganistan. Of course it hasn’t been on the nightly news……
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
Maybe the President could send some uniting words – as opposed to Solidarity – to the Longview Washington longshoremen who acted again this morning as if they were taking literally the words of Jimmy Hoffa, one of his warm-up acts during his State of The Unions speech the other day. In fact, the unionists were downright enthusiastic in their mission to take out… another union! Or perhaps the First Lady could have a word with Donald Trumka, the president of that Washington State “army.” He’s one of the honored guests sitting in Mrs. Obama’s special section for invited dignitaries.
Incidentally, I myself don’t blame Hoffa for inciting the unionists. That’s a strategy of the left to label conservatives as “haters” who might incite violence, all the while parodoxically coupling that with its own loose calling of such names as “hostage takers,” and “terrorists,” among other epithets, when describing Americans who happen to hold differing political views.
May we at least assume the longshoremen’s baseball bats were union-made?
Posted by: Oliver Shagnasty | September 8, 2011, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
Posted by: Kala | September 8, 2011, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
We don’t expect you haters to listen to a call for unity; you were attacking the President viciously as soon as he decided to run for the office. We saw it all.
Posted by: Jeff | September 8, 2011, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
And President Bush’s actions did kill tens of thousands of Iraqis; men, women and children and tens of thousand more were maimed.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
And how many have been killed under Obama’s watch?
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
You tell us. How many Iraqi civilians killed by Obama’s actions?
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
We don’t expect you haters to listen to a call for unity; you were attacking the President viciously as soon as he decided to run for the office. We saw it all.
Posted by: Jeff | September 8, 2011, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
“if they bring a knife, we will bring a gun.” Barack Hussein Obama
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
You tell us. How many Iraqi civilians killed by Obama’s actions?
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
That’s the point. No one is reporting it. At least you can go online to find out August was the DEADLIEST MONTH YET FOR US TROOPS in Afganistan (isn’t covered on the news). When Bush was President we heard about the war daily, saw the coffins coming back. With Obama as President, nothing.
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
Right so you don’t know how many Iraqi civilians have been killed by Obama’s actions, so your ‘argument’ is null and void.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
Here’s a rarely seen Obama quote from when he was caught being honest about Liberals.
So it’s not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to food stamps or planned parenthood freebee services or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-conservative sentiment to explain their frustrations.
Posted by: Noz | September 8, 2011, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
Posted by: Noz | September 8, 2011, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
I think Obama was correct. There are many Americans who when under threat or pressure grab onto their guns and/or their bibles. It’s just simply true.
Posted by: Fred | September 8, 2011, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Right so you don’t know how many Iraqi civilians have been killed by Obama’s actions, so your ‘argument’ is null and void.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 5:24 pm 5:24 pm
DEADLIEST MONTH EVER FOR US TROOPS IN AFGANISTAN. Nothing null and void about that. The press is covering up civilian deaths, just as they are Operation Fast and Furious.
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
Posted by: wheresmymoney | September 8, 2011, 7:09 pm 7:09 pm
My you’re easily distracted from your your original argument.
Your original argument to the post that Bush has been called a ‘mass murderer’ in some peoples’ mind because he killed tens of thousands of Iraqi civilian with his actions was ‘How many have been killed on Obama’s watch?’
And the response to that was ‘You tell us. How many Iraqis have been killed because of Obama’s actions?”
You were incapable of researching that, or knowing the answer so now you’re wandering off from that argument because it was hollow.
And you forget, as with the economy, Obama is cleaning up the mess left in Afghanistan by the last president – who chose to pursue his neo-con wet dream of attacking Iraq rather than dedicate U.S. forces to completely securing and keeping Afghanistan.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
Under Bush, we had two wars approved by Congress. Under Obama, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, we have SIX wars–four of which were not approved by Congress, which means they’re illegal. We have more war than ever under Obama. Approximately 64% of all US casualties in Afghanistan have occurred under Obama. Where ARE those anti-war protesters these days? Where’s the outrage over the scores of civilian casualties? Where are the calls for more pictures of flag-draped coffins? Where are the progressives calling Obama a neocon war criminal for striking the sovereign countries of Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia without provocation? What happened to the outcry for complying with international law? What about the expansions of the Patriot Act and the continuation of rendition? Guantanamo is still open. The silence from the left is deafening.
Then again, maybe it was never about war with the left.
Posted by: Justin | September 8, 2011, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm
Under Bush, we had two wars approved by Congress. Under Obama, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, we have SIX wars
___________________________________________
There are not six wars, however if you disagree with the drone strikes into Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia to target al Qaida leaders, you go right ahead and start protesting in the streets.
So far we haven’t seen that which would indicate the right wing doesn’t oppose those strikes, nor do ordinary Americans.
Where are the right wing protestors on the street if what the President is doing is so bad?
You might do well to remember that many of those drone strikes have been done with the cooperation of the countries involved.
And you forget that in Afghanistan, as with the economy, Obama is cleaning up the mess left in by the last president – who chose to pursue his neo-con wet dream of attacking Iraq rather than dedicate U.S. forces to completely securing and keeping Afghanistan.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
paul wrote:”There are not six wars, however if you disagree with the drone strikes into Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia”
.
You’re conveniently missing Libya from the list. Military aircraft, military personnel, missile/drone strikes into sovereign countries is not war to extreme lefties. WOW… must be a DEMOCRAT in the White House.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | September 8, 2011, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | September 8, 2011, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
I didn’t say I support the action in Libya. Do you?
Have you been out on the street protesting along with all the other ‘dedicated’ right wing opponents to Libya? Hahahaha! Dedicated indeed . .. you guys are lame.
Posted by: Paul | September 8, 2011, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
paul wrote:”Have you been out on the street protesting along with all the other ‘dedicated’ right wing opponents to Libya? Hahahaha! Dedicated indeed . .. you guys are lame.”.
.
Called Cindy Sheehan to see if we could organize some street protesting, but she be chillin’ with oBama in the White House. The protesting will start back up in Jan 2013 when we have a Republican back in the White House.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | September 8, 2011, 11:23 pm 11:23 pm
paul wrote:”Have you been out on the street protesting along with all the other ‘dedicated’ right wing opponents to Libya? Hahahaha! Dedicated indeed . .. you guys are lame.”.
.
Called Cindy Sheehan
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | September 8, 2011, 11:23 pm 11:23 pm
You’re blaming your own failure to protest Libya, and the right wing’s failure to protest Libya on Cindy Sheehan? What a bunch of lame phonies. No wonder the majority of Americans disapprove of the Republican party. You’re a bunch of phony hypocrites.
Posted by: Paul | September 9, 2011, 12:24 am 12:24 am
Reading through the comments here, can’t you just feel that post-9/11 unity?
Posted by: Bill | September 9, 2011, 12:42 am 12:42 am
Reading through the comments here, can’t you just feel that post-9/11 unity?
Posted by: Bill | September 9, 2011, 12:42 am 12:42 am
Read the first four comments posted here at the top of the page, and you’ll get an idea of the division the right wingers sow.
Posted by: Paul | September 9, 2011, 1:09 am 1:09 am
want unity? How about starting with nixing the health care bill that the majority of Americans didn’t want. The majority of America agrees on that.
Posted by: EPU | September 9, 2011, 1:23 am 1:23 am
want unity? How about starting with nixing the health care bill that the majority of Americans didn’t want. The majority of America agrees on that.
Posted by: EPU | September 9, 2011, 1:23 am 1:23 am
Wrong again EPU.
In the Kaiser Family Foundation’s latest Health Tracking Poll (July 13-18), 42% of Americans rated the health care reform law favorably and 43% unfavorably (with the rest unsure or refusing to say). Public opinion is divided or mixed on the policy.
Posted by: Matt | September 9, 2011, 1:56 am 1:56 am
“Called Cindy Sheehan to see if we could organize some street protesting, but she be chillin’ with oBama in the White House. The protesting will start back up in Jan 2013 when we have a Republican back in the White House.” – Michelle Shu Jas
So that’s where Cindy is.
I thought I hadn’t heard from her because the Media didn’t want to cover antiwar stuff during the Time-o-Obama. So she has been on hiatus. Makes sense.
We’ll hear from her again in 2013.
Posted by: Noz | September 9, 2011, 7:45 am 7:45 am
Obama calls for unity yet every time he speaks he attacks anyone that disagrees with him. He has driven this country apart more than any other president in history. He has no desire for unificiation – he wants this chaos and turmoil in order to further his agenda.
Posted by: jacaranda | September 9, 2011, 11:13 am 11:13 am
Obama calls for unity yet every time he speaks he attacks anyone that disagrees with him. He has driven this country apart more than any other president in history. He has no desire for unificiation – he wants this chaos and turmoil in order to further his agenda.
Posted by: jacaranda | September 9, 2011, 11:13 am 11:13 am
The country was far more divided under Bush especially over his phony Iraq war. The only time Bush unified the country was by the end of his term when the vast majority of Americans (over 70%) disapproved of the job he’d done.
Posted by: Bill | September 10, 2011, 2:52 am 2:52 am
“Called Cindy Sheehan to see if we could organize some street protesting, but she be chillin’ with oBama in the White House. The protesting will start back up in Jan 2013 when we have a Republican back in the White House.” – Michelle Shu Jas
So that’s where Cindy is.
I thought I hadn’t heard from her because the Media didn’t want to cover antiwar stuff during the Time-o-Obama. So she has been on hiatus. Makes sense.
We’ll hear from her again in 2013.
Posted by: Noz | September 9, 2011, 7:45 am 7:45 am
Cindy Sheehan’s son gave his life in the Iraq war.
You little cowards should shut your filthy, ignorant, abusive, arrogant and juvenile mouths.
Posted by: Bill | September 10, 2011, 2:55 am 2:55 am
“The only time Bush unified the country was by the end of his term” – Bill
Wrong.
The country was unified after 911 and the bullhorn moment in the rubble helped.
It remained unified for quite a while, so much so that Demos voted for the Iraqi war.
You may not like Bush Bill but you could at least be honest.
I don’t blame you about being antiwar though, I am antiwar too which is one of the reasons I dislike the job NoBo is doing. We should be out of Vietnamistan the Sequel™ already. You and I can at least agree on not supporting Barry (Bush 3) Obama over his war policies.
Posted by: Noz | September 10, 2011, 7:03 am 7:03 am