Newark Mayor: We Found Unity After 9/11– It Can Be Like That Again

NEWARK, NJ — In the wake of one of the worst episodes of violence in U.S. history, the nation came together to unite over our common goals: the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. The rallying cry that ensued – “Never Forget” – has become part of the national consciousness. However, in the decades that have followed, the “clarity” and “profound sense of unity” that took place after the 9/11 attacks has been beset by political polarization and “mindless violence.”

It doesn’t have to be that way, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says.

On Wednesday – the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks – the mayor of New Jersey’s largest city issued a call for a renewed national unity in the names of the 2,977 people who lost their lives in 2001.

He wrote:

“Twenty-three years ago, on a morning with a sky as fresh as today’s, America was shocked and stunned by a colossal explosion of hate. As a nation, we had never felt so targeted and vulnerable, so defiled and hated.

“The magnitude of that heart-rending event yielded a profound sense of unity steeped in our defense of democracy and freedom. We focused on shared values, recognized ourselves in each other, and upheld our different paths through life, and toward liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“Over time, though, the clarity of that vision has blurred as incidents of rough talk and mindless violence have piled up and tamped down our indignation and outrage. Many of us are weary, overwhelmed and desensitized to acts of ungrounded and unfounded bias and contempt.

“Some say our citizenry is polarized beyond repair.

“It’s not.

“And today is the perfect time to reset our destination as a nation.

“In the name of the 2,977 lost 23 years ago, we must each embody our true American spirit of tolerance and inclusion, fearless generosity, and unabashed care for one another. At the crossroads of our future, today is the day to abandon the illusion of our separateness, to reach out to one another in trust, and embrace the larger truth that to be really free, we need and belong to each other.”

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