[1]Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001.
This unthinkable tragedy remains to be one of the

9/11: Two Decades Later

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001.
This unthinkable tragedy remains to be the deadliest foreign attack ever
carried out on U.S. soil, as nearly 3,000 Americans were killed in just a
matter of hours. It was a shocking, awful event that has permanently
scarred the American conscience, so much so that it is simply remembered by
the date that it happened: 9/11. Yet despite our incalculable collective
loss, we were able to come together. We united together not just as friends
or neighbors, but as Americans seeking to make lasting changes to our
society and to ensure nothing like this would ever happen again.

In the wake of the tragedy, Congress was abuzz with activity, as both
chambers were able to quickly pass numerous bills and resolutions with ease
to combat the threat of terrorism. Two decades later, our country faces a
new threat in the COVID-19 pandemic, but it seems like we are less capable
than ever of uniting for a solution. COVID-related legislation has stalled
in Congress, and the Delta variant continues to decimate unvaccinated
communities. In fact, more Americans have died of COVID in the last three
days alone than all those who lost their lives on 9/11.

We need to come together now more than ever to put a stop to the pandemic.
Yet the two major parties have barely been able to mutually acknowledge
this threat, and our compatriots are dying in droves at the hands of their
negligence. The aftermath of the tragedy of 9/11 proved that we truly can
cross party lines to work together to make meaningful changes happen, and
for the sake of public health, we must recapture that same tenacity and
bipartisan collaborative spirit we found two decades ago to overcome the
pandemic and find workable solutions for our uncertain future.

Even less than a year removed from an extremely close and contentious
presidential election, the American people were once able to coalesce
around an unthinkable tragedy and move forward. Sounds familiar? It is. We
the people should take some cues from our international allies, as well as
our recent past, in ultimately finding answers. As Congress continues to
stall, COVID deaths continue to rise, and our partisan divide continues to
worsen. Citizens must have basic, essential political information widely
available so we can once again come together as Americans and show unity in
the face of tragedy.

Simon Fischer

Communications Associate

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