Press Releases

 – Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) reflected on his experience and the lessons learned during the September 11^th terrorist attacks. At the time, he was serving as a Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush. “We must never forget 9/11 - the victims, the heroes, and the lessons learned. “My heart goes out to those who need no reminder of the tragedy of 9/11, the family and friends of those who lost their lives. No words will ever undo their nightmare or ease their pain. We pray for them and remember them first. “However, remember this: there are heroes in our midst doing heroic deeds every day. God bless our military, law enforcement, and first responders for their innumerable, but too often unnoticed, sacrifices for our safety – both on that dark day and every day. “Here are a few lessons I carry with me from that day: “‘Evil prospers when good men do nothing.’ (John Philpot Curran) There are some people with whom you cannot negotiate and whose behavior will only change through force. Whether we like it or not, America - as the strongest and freest nation in the world - has a unique responsibility to lead on the world stage. If America does not continue to lead and confront the forces of darkness in the world that we live in, who will?  “We must never apologize for or compromise our commitment to freedom. As President George W. Bush stated after 9/11, ‘Freedom isn’t America’s gift to the world, it’s God’s gift to mankind.’ God has used this great experiment in liberty and democracy to bless the world. On that fateful day and those that followed, there was a resilience and resolve about President Bush and our leaders that have characterized our country since its founding. In the words of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, ‘History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.’ “Despite our differences, Americans stand united. While some in the media and partisan politicians seem to focus solely on our differences, we as Americans share much more in common. On 9/11, we saw that unity most vividly on display, from strangers helping strangers on the streets of New York to political leaders, regardless of party affiliation, standing together against the evils of radical Islamic terrorism. Our enemies thought they could weaken us, but, instead, they revealed  the strength and unity that is the foundation of our great nation. As we remember 9/11, we would do well to remember the late John McCain’s words: ‘we are Americans first, we are Americans last, and we are Americans always.’” “Never forget 9/11!”