‘We remain strong because of you’

Editor’s Note: The following is the author’s message on 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

The meaning of peace is one we all know and cherish deep in our hearts but when chaos erupts and threatens our peace, we fall into fear. Twenty-years ago, the peace of the United States of America was threatened by sudden, murderous attacks by evil forces whose principles of life and liberty were at odds with the United States and the rest of the civilized world. Many perished in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and the world’s economy was significantly impacted.

On this 20th anniversary since those horrific attacks on our nation’s peace and economy, we must honor those who did not make it home to their families that day. We pray for their peace and remember their many contributions to make our nation and the world a better place.

At the same time, we honor and salute our nation’s front-liners who responded to the call to bring calm, order, and a sense of security following the attacks. We owe a debt of great gratitude to all firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, and citizens for their commitment to face fear straight in the eye for one purpose—bringing our nation immediately back to order and normalcy.

The fight against terrorism is a testament that the United States indeed is a world power. On this 20th anniversary after the attacks, we continue to recognize and profoundly appreciate the sacrifices of our nation’s armed forces. Many perished in the war to rid our world of terrorists and other factions that want to harm and bring loss to our nation’s citizens. We pray for and honor our fallen heroes every day and especially on this 20th anniversary. We give our sincerest thanks to the women and men in uniform who constantly put their lives in harm’s way to protect our peace and lives. It is with an abundance of gratitude that we salute and honor them this Sept. 11. To all surviving families, we do not falter in the fight against evil. We remain strong because of you.

Our nation knows no fear because each one of us banded together make our nation the strongest in the world. Our nation made the terrorists responsible for the attacks pay.

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David M. Apatang is the mayor of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.