New York thanks Belfast on 9/11
The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, has sent this message to the City of Belfast on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The message is to be read publicly this afternoon at a special commemoration ceremony on the grounds of Belfast City Hall.
Dear Friends:
It is a great honor to join Lord Mayor Ó Donnghaile in welcoming everyone to Belfast's
September 11th Memorial Ceremony.
The attacks of September 11th, 2001 changed our world forever. The outpouring of
support New York City received from the international community during our darkest days was humbling and inspiring, and we deeply appreciate the extraordinary support we received from the citizens of Belfast and those across the Irish isle.
Today, we will open a beautiful memorial at the site of the World Trade Center. The 9/11
Memorial will provide a powerful and lasting place of reflection and remembrance, and it will help ensure that future generations know the story of what happened that day, and how the whole world responded. Given how many of those we lost that day had connections to your land, it seems only fitting that the memorial stands just one block away from the Irish Hunger Memorial.
Together, they will forever remind us of how indebted our city is to those who trace their roots to your shores. Today, as we reflect back on the horror and heroism of September 11th, let us remember not only how the Twin Towers fell, but how we rose up together-determined to defend our way of life and protect our freedoms. And as you pay tribute to those we lost, I join you in honoring their lives. I know we will find inspiration in their memories-and in the spirit of unity that brings Belfast and New York together once again today.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of New York City
Comment number 1.
At 11th Sep 2011, newlach wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 2.
At 11th Sep 2011, gerry wrote:Despite all the horrors we have been through in our 'troubled past' 9/11 stands out for me as the pinnacle act of man's inhumanity to man, probably more so because we stood / sat watching it all unfold on television, people dying horrendous deaths before our very eyes.
Its a sobering reflective day.
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Comment number 3.
At 11th Sep 2011, newlach wrote:I was quite surprised by the figure of at least 600,000 fatalities in Afghanistan and Iraq as a consequence of 9/11 given by Andrew Alexander. Another guest (Vincent Lavery) said that the United States has invaded a country once every nine months since 1945 - this figure seems very high to me, is it true?
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Sep 2011, Theophane wrote:"New York thanks Belfast on 9/11"
...but not, i think, for the punishment meted out to the American guests on this morning's Sunday Sequence. Blimey! I think there are all sorts of serious things to talk about in relation to the way America and other western countries have reacted to those events, but this is a solemn day of remembrance which deserved a bit more gravitas and sensitivity.
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Comment number 5.
At 12th Sep 2011, _Ryan_ wrote:"Memorial will provide a powerful and lasting place of reflection and remembrance"-
This will be the lasting legacy.
America's image of Invulnerability put to the test at its most self-assured, confident core
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Comment number 6.
At 12th Sep 2011, romejellybeen wrote:Thought this might bring a few threads together. A man who was not good enough to be accepted - as he was - by a Church who saw him as 'intrinsically disordered.' But good enough and brave enough to lay down his life for his brothers and sisters.....
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Comment number 7.
At 12th Sep 2011, gerry wrote:@6 romejellybeen
Thanks for sharing that article, I have book marked it. A Good story about a good man, Is it too much to hope that he will be made a saint in due course?
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Comment number 8.
At 12th Sep 2011, romejellybeen wrote:Gerry
I wouldnt think so, certainly not in the forseeable future.
(Unless it emerges that he was secretly a member of Opus Dei or had questionable behaviour towards Jews in World War II, in which case, he's a cert!)
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Comment number 9.
At 12th Sep 2011, Andrew wrote:Darryl Hart on 'the day everything changed'
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Comment number 10.
At 12th Sep 2011, Theophane wrote:With friends like rome '"Loyal Roman Catholics" Would you like to explain what those are?' jellybeen, who needs enemies?
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Comment number 11.
At 12th Sep 2011, romejellybeen wrote:Theo # 10
Thank you! You have at last, albeit inadvertently, exposed your motivation ie the protection of the Catholic Church, even at the expense of truth and justice and integrity and honesty.
What is the point of Church built on lies?
I have put the point before to others on here who argue as you do, that they have no love for the Church. You dont.
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Comment number 12.
At 26th Sep 2011, mscracker wrote:I saw little mention of this in the media:
I'm generally no supporter of Pres.Obama, but this was beautifully read & very appropriate for 9/11. He and/or his advisors should be given the credit due.
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