“Demonstrating the enduring legacy of that day in 2001, here are some of the places holding observances around the United States on the 18th anniversary of 9/11.”

All too often, the term “never forget” is used to demonize some general group of people. I’m ready to remember the good guys, not the villains. I’ll tell you what I will “never forget”: the guys who took out the terrorists on flight 93, and the men and women who put New York back together.

  • The firefighters and others who lost their lives trying to do what they could. They were running toward the emergency area, not away from it, showing a bravery most of us could never muster.
  • The first responders and others who survived the process of digging out bodies from the rubble, at great risk to their own lives, not just at the time, but to this day, as they feel the after-effects of the carcinogens they had to deal with.
  • The construction laborers and drivers who spent endless hours clearing away that same dangerous rubble so that normal life could resume for the rest of us.
  • The cops who kept order so smoothly in a frightened city.
  • And even crazy Rudy Giuliani, who kept things organized, and helped us keep our chins up.

That was a group of tough, dedicated people who did their share and ours. Their contributions are what we should never forget.