Norton Remembers Bernard, Asia, Rodney, and the Others the District and the Nation Lost on 9/11
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the following statement on the 14th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.
"For 14 years, our city and this nation have lived in peace in the homeland, but in the District, we can never forget September 11, 2001, when the 9/11 tragedy became personal for all of us. We want the relatives to know that they are not alone today in remembering the three District of Columbia public school students, Bernard Brown, Asia Cottom, Rodney Dickens, their three teachers, Sarah Clark, James Debeuneure, and Hilda Taylor, and the two National Geographic chaperones, Joe Ferguson and Ann Judge, who were on board the hijacked plane that left Dulles Airport and struck the Pentagon. We continue to be proud of Bernard, Asia, and Rodney, who had won this trip in a National Geographic contest. They died having had their excellence as students recognized, a source of both comfort and sadness because their futures seemed so bright. In 2011, we honored those we lost at the Pentagon, especially the children, by planting trees in their memory.
"Today, we also honor the memory of the men, women, and children who died in New York City and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, who with our children have an unforgettable and historic place in the memory of the United States. We remember as well the first responders we lost in New York, and the first responders whose courage saved lives that day.
"With these deep losses, we cannot forget that the District of Columbia and the national capital region are on the front line for safety and security. The challenge will always be to carve a way to ensure safety while maintaining freedom as an open society. In that way, the sacrifices made by our children and the other 9/11 victims will increase our vigilance and determination to be alert to danger and mindful of liberty."