The Best of 9/11 Quotes

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Our enemies have made the mistake that America’s enemies always make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. And now, they see defeat.
- George W. Bush, President of the United States

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a

friend whose name it never knew. “
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001


“Today, we gather to be reassured that God hears the lamenting and bitter weeping of Mother America because so many of her children are no more. Let us now seek that assurance in prayer for the healing of our grief stricken hearts, for the souls and sacred memory of those who have been lost. Let us also pray for divine wisdom as our leaders consider the necessary actions for national security, wisdom of the grace of God that as we act, we not become the evil we deplore.”
- Rev. Nathan Baxter, Dean of Washington National Cathedral from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/july-dec01/remember_9-14.html

I don’t think contributors to the various September 11th funds thought that their donations would be caught up in so much red tape and become a source of frustration to families.
- Elizabeth McLaughlin, September 11 widow

Am I the only one who has noticed the same people who complained that we didn’t ‘connect the dots’ prior to 9-11, are now complaining that we connected the dots in Iraq?
- Rush Limbaugh


“Terrorism against our nation will not stand.”
- George W. Bush - Remarks at Emma Booker Elementary School. Sarasota, Florida - delivered 11 September 2001, 9:30 A.M. EDT

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “
- President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Our enemies have made the mistake that America’s enemies always make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. And now, they see defeat.
- George W. Bush, President of the United States

“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew. “
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001

I don’t think contributors to the various September 11th funds thought that their donations would be caught up in so much red tape and become a source of frustration to families.
- Elizabeth McLaughlin, September 11 widow

Am I the only one who has noticed the same people who complained that we didn’t ‘connect the dots’ prior to 9-11, are now complaining that we connected the dots in Iraq?
- Rush Limbaugh


"Who knew the World Trade Center was gonna get bombed; Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers To stay home that day Why did Sharon stay away? Who? Who? Who" -- From a now notorious poem by New Jersey poet laureate Amiri Bakara


"This president is trying to bring to himself all the power to become an emperor to create Empire America. If you go along like sheep that is what will happen." -- Jim McDermott (D - WA)

"The government] plays off [Americans'] relative innocence, or ignorance to be more precise. This is probably why geography has not really been taught since World War II -- to keep people in the dark as to where we are blowing things up. Because Enron wants to blow them up. Or Unocal, the great pipeline company, wants a war going some place." -- Gore Vidal in the LA Weekly

"The current junta in charge of our affairs, one not legally elected, but put in charge of us by the Supreme Court in the interests of the oil and gas and defense lobbies, have used first Oklahoma City and now September 11 to further erode things." -- Gore Vidal in the LA Weekly


"When I see an American flag flying, it's a joke." -- Robert Altman

"Now [African Americans] are supposed to fight and die for a racist corrupt government in yet another imperialist war, when it is the U.S. which has clearly brought on this attack. We are supposed to fight for a country where we still have limited social, economic and political rights, and where we are still subject to death by any racist cop or citizen, where there is widespread poverty, mass imprisonment of the youth, and massive unemployment concentrated in the Black community. The obvious question is what the hell are we fighting for? To avenge America? To mourn America? Why, we don't owe this country anything." -- Lorenzo Komboa Ervin, CounterPunch

"Patriotism threatens free speech with death. It is infuriated by thoughtful hesitation, constructive criticism of our leaders and pleas for peace. It despises people of foreign birth. It has specifically blamed homosexuals, feminists and the American Civil Liberties Union. In other words, the American flag stands for intimidation, censorship, violence, bigotry, sexism, homophobia and shoving the Constitution through a paper shredder. Whom are we calling terrorists here?" -- Barbara Kingsolver, novelist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, September 27

"America has an almost obscene infatuation with itself. Has there ever been a big, powerful country that is as patriotic as America? And patriotic in the tinniest way, with so much flag waving? You'd really think we were some poor little republic, and that if one person lost his religion for one hour, the whole thing would crumble. America is the real religion in this country." -- Norman Mailer

"Of course, Mr. Hannity was outraged that any American would not cross her hand over her heart and repeat the hypocritical words, one nation. Whenever we come up on the Fourth of You Lie, I think of Frederick Douglas and his masterful oration, The meaning of the Fourth of July to the Negro. Pledge the flag? I think not!" -- Julianne Malveaux

"My daughter, who goes to Stuyvesant High School only blocks from the World Trade Center, thinks we should fly an American flag out our window. Definitely not, I say: The flag stands for jingoism and vengeance and war." -- Katha Pollitt, The Nation, October 8

"While the rest of the country waves the flag of Americana, we understand we are not part of that. We don't owe America anything - America owes us." -- Al Sharpton at the "State of the Black World Conference" in Atlanta