Remembering 9/11

Oklahoma Representative John Talley-District 33.

By Rep. John Talley

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001?

That morning, I was out visiting schools when I first heard the news. I rushed home quickly so I could watch it on TV. I remember sitting there in absolute disbelief that this was happening in America. The entire country was in shock. None of us knew what to do or how to help.

Ordinary citizens donated supplies, offered help, or simply supported their neighbors. I, along with many of you, lined up to donate blood. Some people felt compelled to join our military. I know many of my college students went out and joined the Armed Forces because they wanted to contribute to the fight against terrorism and do something important with their lives. I knew a professional football player who quit playing to sign up. First responders from across the country rushed to help without hesitation, risking and sometimes losing their lives to save others.

Many fire departments from Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City, Moore, Tulsa, Bartlesville and others, sent people to assist with rescue and recovery efforts.

Oklahoma played an especially important role in assisting New York City first responders. In the days that followed the attacks, several departments across our state started getting calls asking for advice. They knew that our state had faced a similar tragedy just six years earlier with the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in downtown Oklahoma City, and several New York first responders were on-site here to assist us with that.

The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma fundraised money to send hundreds of our first responders to assist our friends in New York City. As Oklahoma fire and police departments stepped off the airplanes, they were immediately approached by New York officers who recognized that we had a unique perspective. For weeks, many of our first responders worked on-site to assist with rescue and recovery, but they also spent time mentoring New York officers who were grappling with this horrible event.

That sense of comradery and commitment to the common good continued nationwide. The terrorists who attacked us on September 11 sought to break our American spirit, but instead, they fortified it.

For months afterward, it seemed like people had an especially deep sense of American pride. We no longer took it for granted that we lived in the freest nation on earth. We were reminded that, despite our differences, we all share a deep love for our country and the ideals it represents. This is patriotism—a belief in the principles of liberty, equality, and justice, and the determination to defend them at all costs.

Since then, our country has faced its share of challenges. But September 11 serves as a reminder that in the face of adversity, we come together—not just as Republicans or Democrats, not as urban or rural, but as Americans.

As always, please call my office at (405) 557-7304 or email me at [email protected] if there’s anything I can help with. Thank you for the honor of representing our district.

Rep. John Talley, a Republican, serves District 33 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which covers Logan and Payne Counties.