In honor of 9/11 heroes, we must stand together

In a few weeks, it will be 15 years since Americans were murdered at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. My recent visit to the Flight 93 Memorial in Western Pennsylvania was a time to reflect on the courageous spirit of Americans in the face of terror and danger.

After a brief discussion with the park ranger, we had a quiet walk by the flight path and final resting place of United Flight 93. The terrorists were intent on using that flight to attack the nation’s capital, and it was the courage of the passengers and crew that thwarted the terrorists’ plans.

By banding together and attacking the terrorists — knowing full well that the plane would crash and they all would die — those brave passengers gave their lives to protect thousands of other innocent people.

At the memorial center, in addition to photos and information about the flight hijacking, there is the opportunity to listen to voicemails left by passengers on loved ones’ phones. It is an intense, emotional experience to hear those Americans saying goodbye to their spouses or parents or children.

Whether it be the police, firefighters or other first responders who went up the stairs into the burning World Trade Center towers to save others or the passengers on Flight 93, heroic Americans responded to one of the worst and most serious attacks on our country in our history.

We must never forget that fellow citizens, innocent and just going to work on a routine day, were murdered. The memory of that terrible day, Sept. 11, 2001, must override the current divisiveness in our country.

In this 15th year after the dreadful attacks on our country, we must reaffirm our stand against all those who would destroy us. And we must honor the passengers of Flight 93. CORREALE F. STEVENS Butler Township,

Luzerne County