What you should know
- The 9/11 anniversary took place this Friday with ceremonies at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and a nearby corner in New York; reflected a split on how to observe the anniversary in a moment of physical distancing
- Vice President Mike Pence attended the New York commemorations; President Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden attended a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Monument in Pennsylvania
- The double beams of light evoking the fallen twin towers were all but canceled due to virus concerns, until the complaints sparked a change
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NEW YORK – Flags fly at half mast in the tri-state area in remembrance of the thousands of lives lost in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in full awareness of the tens of thousands of lives that first responders helped save amid of the pandemic and the tens of thousands of lives who could not.
The governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced the flag measurements a day before the national commemoration ceremony at ground zero, which was attended by Vice President Mike Pence and his wife.
Mayor Bill de Blasio also hit ground zero on Friday. A day earlier, he reflected on the grim anniversary in light of his current grim separate reality.
“This is an anniversary that brings so much feeling and, of course, there is a lot of pain. I hope everyone remembers the heroism not only of our first responders but also of our citizens,” De Blasio said. “It’s also another time to say, think about the past, think about that generation of New Yorkers, think about those heroes, think about the compassion of everyday New Yorkers at that time of crisis. People across the country and around the world were watching. and they were in awe of New York City. “
“There was an incredible feeling for New York City. There was respect. And people were lamenting with us, but they also admired New York City at that time of crisis. And now we find ourselves in a new and different crisis.” added the mayor.
New York Police Commissioner Dermot Shea was a lieutenant in the force when the planes collided with the twin towers. He said Friday that it is hard to believe 19 years have passed since then.
“I just think about the people and the whole experience of that day. A day that no one could have predicted and that was actually impossible to describe if you weren’t there,” Shea said. “She could continually return to loss of life and sacrifice and that is the important thing, to renew our vow that we will never forget her sacrifice.”
Shea said that anyone who was with the NYPD 19 years ago was involved in the 9/11 recovery effort in some way, and it’s something they still struggle with.
“It is a real problem for the men and women of this police department,” Shea said. “Hundreds have lost their lives since that day, but there are thousands who are still affected by diseases, some more serious than others.”
This memory of 9/11 was unique, altered by COVID precautions and woven into the presidential campaign. President Donald Trump and Joe Biden paid their respects at the same monument in Pennsylvania without crossing paths as Americans honored the solemn occasion.
In New York, a dispute over coronavirus safety precautions is sparking split-screen memories on Friday, one at the 9/11 memorial plaza at the World Trade Center and another at a nearby corner. Pentagon observance was so restricted that not even the families of the victims were able to attend, although small groups were able to visit the monument later.
Trump and Biden arrived, at different times, at the Flight 93 National Monument near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Trump will speak at the morning ceremony, the White House said. Biden plans to pay his respects there in the afternoon after attending the 9/11 memorial celebration in New York. Meanwhile, Pence must attend the ground zero ceremony, and then the alternate ceremony a few blocks away.
A scheduled air event on the Hudson River near the Verazzano Bridge at 3:30 pm has fueled some controversy. The planned flight of an F-18 jet 2,500 feet in the air on the 9/11 anniversary received immediate criticism from Staten Island Rep. Max Rose, who called for the event to be canceled.
Others on social media called the measure a “dull tone” and that low-flying planes cause fear in the city. A spokesman for Mayor De Blasio says the mayor was not aware of the flyby and “frankly, it is inappropriate.” It is not yet clear if the plane will take off.
In short, the 9/11 anniversary is a complicated occasion in the maelstrom of a devastating year as the United States grapples with a health crisis, searches its soul for racial injustice, and prepares to elect a leader to chart a path to follow.
Still, 9/11 families say it’s important for the nation to stop and remember the hijacked jet attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the mall, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001. shaping American politics, perceptions of safety and daily life in places from airports to office buildings.
“I know that the heart of America beats on September 11, and of course, think about that tragic day. I don’t think people will forget, ”says Anthoula Katsimatides, who lost her brother John and is now on the board of the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
It was the second time Trump observed the 9/11 anniversary at the Flight 93 memorial, where he made comments in 2018. Biden spoke at the 2011 commemorative dedication when he was vice president.
Tour the museum commemorating 9/11 in NYC
The ground zero ceremony in New York has a long tradition of not allowing politicians to speak, although they can attend. Apart from this year, Biden served as vice president in 2010 and Trump as a candidate in 2016.
Although the candidates focused on the commemorations, it’s hard to ignore the political significance of their focus on Shanksville: Pennsylvania is a must-win state for both. Trump won it by less than one percentage point in 2016.
Across the country, some communities canceled September 11 commemorations due to the pandemic, while others were held with modifications.
The New York tribute changed one of the central traditions of their ceremony: having relatives read the names of the deceased, often adding poignant tributes.
Thousands of family members were invited. But they will hear a recording of the names of the speakers spread across the vast plaza, a plan that memorial leaders felt would avoid close contact on stage but still allow families to remember their loved ones at the place where they died. .
