Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement:
“Seventeen years ago, we awoke to a typical Tuesday. There was a quiet across the nation, in a less complicated world, and a less complicated time.
“By the end of the day, all that would change.
“The events of September 11, 2001 are still clear in my mind, as they are for anyone old enough to understand and remember what happened that morning.
“I hope each of us will take a moment to reflect on those events and those we lost: Americans just going to work, and the First Responders who rushed into burning buildings to try to save them. They, too, were just doing their jobs.
“We must never forget those servicemen and women who served and continue to serve our nation in the global war on terror. A generation of Americans who signed up, knowing this would include time in a war zone, with far too many making the ultimate sacrifice. Today our thoughts are with the families of those whose bravery, patriotism and sense of duty led them to a place from which they would never return.
“We should also reflect on what it felt like to be an American in the weeks and months after 9/11. The way our nation came together in our support for those suffering and united in our resolve to see each other through an attack on our nation. It was a remarkable time and is worth remembering and emulating.
“In contrast, today’s political environment has become more divisive, hateful, and toxic. Treating each other with respect and civility is one way to honor those we lost that day – and in the years since – and to renew our resolve to be that America, and those Americans, once again.”
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