Cross-posted on 26th District

I wanted to take a moment today and acknowledge September 11th.

Like many I believe this should be a day of remembrance, unity and a chance to reflect on what this nation represents. Terrorists hit the great symbols of our nation in 2001, our business, our defense and if they had been allowed they too would have hit our Capitol, the symbol of our democracy and our plurality. They attacked all that they dislike about our nation; they attacked all that that ultimately makes us great.

The beauty of our democracy is that none of us must agree. The wonder of our Republic is that in the end, though we may fight, we prevail. We prevail not in spite of our differences but because of them. There is little now that divides our people so great that we should abandon our democracy. There was a time when this nation nearly tore itself apart but we prevailed. There was more than a time when our nation faced empires abroad bent on strife, but we prevailed.

Our revolutionary vision of the world ignited a revolution not just of a new rule around the world, but new innovation, new freedom and likewise the ability for nations to disagree but to do so in peace. The ability to fight great wars when our visions collide; but to rebuild one another much greater than we were before and with new understanding about what makes us different in addition to the same.

The world and our nation are not perfect. This should never be taken as a sign that we are unworthy of the rights bestowed upon us by our creator or the right to believe that our vision of the world is ultimately righteous. Instead it is a necessary part of our design and a reason to let our freedom drive us to seek perfection in an imperfect world.

I love this nation, I love our democratic process and I love all that makes us both flawed and makes us strive to be better.

There is no end to the many lives who died in the brutal and senseless assault that took place on September 11th. They live now in the infinite, a reminder to us that moments of struggle are finite when we have clarity of purpose to see better tomorrows.

Best wishes to you all and all my thoughts to the families and friends, neighbors and a nation that still feel loss on this day.