Washington (September 11, 2021) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement on the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks.
 
“Twenty years have passed since the fateful attacks of September 11, 2001, and we remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives in New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania – including the more than 200 with ties to Massachusetts. The victims of that day hailed from around the country, and they were some of our country’s and Commonwealth’s best and brightest. Today is a day of remembrance for sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and neighbors. We also mourn and remember the nearly 7,000 United States service members, and hundreds of thousands of civilians, who lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11. Our country is eternally grateful to all those who risked and gave their lives on that terrible day, including the first responders, frontline workers and civilians who rushed in to save innocent lives 20 years ago. In one of our nation’s darkest hours, we saw valor, courage, and sacrifice personified by those heroes.  
 
“This year, as we recover from a pandemic that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives across our country, we have the opportunity to again reflect on how our nation responds to shared tragedy. In the days and years following 9/11, the United States demonstrated extraordinary unity. Communities came together to lift one another up and embrace those who lost in love and light.
 
“As we reflect, we should acknowledge the dark underbelly of mistrust and fear that reared its ugly head, particularly against Muslim, Middle Eastern, North African, and wider South Asian communities. On the 20th anniversary of this tragedy, and as Afghan resettlement efforts continue, we must uphold our highest ideals in making the United States of America a refuge for peace, security, and inclusion. A home for those searching for new beginnings. And a place where freedom and hope ring eternal.”