We Said We'd Never Forget 9/11

New Yorkers forgot, politicians forgot.

The brouhaha was prompted by a remark made by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar, an outspoken Somali-American Minnesota Democrat. While addressing a Los Angeles Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) gathering, she dismissed 9/11 as “some people did something.”

President Donald Trump released a clip of Omar’s statement in counterpoint to news footage from the attack, and added the words, “We will never forget!” You would have thought he’d mocked her religion, questioned her honor, and challenged her to a duel.

And the most over-the-top responses came from New Yorkers — those who should have a personal reason to never forget.

Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio forgot the thousands of victims and rushed to Omar’s corner.

“In a move that would make generations of fascists proud, @realDonaldTrump is putting lives of Muslim Americans in danger by inciting hate and violence,” he tweeted. “His disgusting tweet must come down and Rep. Omar must be protected from threats by those called to action by their ‘leader.’”

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat and presidential hopeful, claimed to be someone “who represents 9/11 victims,” and then qualified that statement with a “but,” making her appear to represent Omar rather than the victims.

“As a Senator who represents 9/11 victims, I can't accept any minimizing of that pain. But Trump's dangerous rhetoric against @IlhanMN is disgusting,” she said. “It’s a false choice to suggest we can’t fight terrorism and reject Islamophobic hate at once—a president should do both.”

Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat whose district covers parts of the Bronx and Queens, also blasted the president.

Members of Congress have a duty to respond to the President’s explicit attack today,” she tweeted. “@IlhanMN’s life is in danger. For our colleagues to be silent is to be complicit in the outright, dangerous targeting of a member of Congress. We must speak out.”

Seriously? All this reaction from Omar’s own words, 9/11 news footage and a simple “We will never forget!”?

Ocasio-Cortez also went after Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, an Afghanistan War hero who was a bit more direct. Although he never mentioned Omar by name, his made his point.

“First Member of Congress to ever describe terrorists who killed thousands of Americans on 9/11 as ‘some people who did something,’” Crenshaw tweeted. “Unbelievable.”

Ocasio-Cortez shot back that Crenshaw should “do something” to protect Americans. Crenshaw is a former U.S. Navy SEAL who lost his right eye fighting terrorism. He was awarded two Bronze Stars, one with valor, the Purple Heart, and the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor. Most people would think he’d done plenty.

But the most repulsive response came from New York University journalism instructor Talia Lavin.

“When did the memory of 9/11 become ‘sacred?’” she asked. “In what way? and to whom?”

Anyone could easily answer her something like this:

When? 9/11 became “sacred” the moment nearly every American and our allies said, “never forget” and “never again.”

In what way? By the sheer atrocity and brutality of the attack. Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial jetliners — two each from American Airlines and United Airlines. We witnessed in real time an aircraft crash into first the World Trade Center’s north tower, then the south tower. We also witnessed victims make the terrifying decision to leap to their deaths rather than be burned alive. And finally, we saw each tower collapse upon itself, taking everyone inside with it.

Finally, to whom was 9/11 sacred? To every single American who was alive at that moment.

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He’s also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. To read more of his reports - Click Here.