Note from Tom: the morning of September 11th

͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ Tom Malinowski served as a diplomat in the Obama administration, standing up to dictators overseas. Now he's standing up for our democracy as a Congressman representing New Jersey's 7th district — which experts say could be THE deciding race for control of the House this year. If you’d like to unsubscribe, [click here.]( Early on the morning of September 11th, 2001, I was rushing to a routine meeting in the State Department cafeteria, when I noticed a group gathered around a TV mounted on the wall. It seemed there had a been a terrible accident at the World Trade Center, and then we saw the second plane hit, heard from friends at the Pentagon, and understood we had to evacuate. I remember walking for miles through the city streets, picking up my daughter at school, and trying to find the words to explain what had happened and why. We all remember the days that followed. How they filled us with anxiety. How they revealed our character. Our leaders told us we were at war, but not with a religion, not with a people, but with a particularly evil idea rejected by good people everywhere. Of the 750 New Jerseyans who died on 9/11, 186 lived in the six counties I represent in Congress. Today, I’m thinking of Sally Cohen-Alameno (pictured above) and her husband Andy, who was one of twelve Westfield residents who never came home from work. In a tribute to him, Sally wrote: “Andy was one of the good guys. The really good guys.” Today, we should also be thinking about what we owe to the friends we lost on 9/11, and to the heroes who gave everything to save many more. An obvious answer is that we should take care of the families who still miss their fallen loved ones, and the first responders who still feel the effects of their sacrifice that day. One of the most important votes I’ve cast as a member of Congress was to permanently renew the 9/11 Victims Compensation fund so it would be there for the firefighters and police officers and emergency workers who need it for the rest of their lives. This year, we also passed the PACT Act, to help our military veterans exposed to toxic substances, including in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In so doing, we paid a debt to 9/11’s second responders — the men and women who went overseas to ensure there would be no more attacks on our homeland. But I believe we owe something even more fundamental we owe to the memory of 9/11 — to be the country we were in the days after the attack. It didn’t matter so much then if we were Democrats or Republicans. There was not a FOX News version and an MSNBC version of what had happened. Anyone who spread conspiracy theories was laughed at or ignored. I wasn’t exactly a fan of President Bush then, but having been a presidential speechwriter, I sent a friend in the White House some lines for the president that I thought might help bring the country together, and was immensely proud to hear him use them in a joint address to Congress. “Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.” Our challenge today is to muster the same unselfish solidarity that brought Americans together after 9/11, whether we are standing by friends overseas — like the brave people of Ukraine — who are defending freedom from terrorism — or standing up to hatred and extremism at home. The best way to honor the good guys we lost 21 years ago is to try to be the good guys again today. To be a country of heroes who run towards danger and of leaders who remind us that we have responsibilities to each other. To honor, and more important, to emulate those who give their lives to service — our troops, our first responders, our doctors, nurses, and teachers — remembering the idea that binds them together and to us: that placing others before ourselves is the worthiest way to live our life. Thank you for all you do in that spirit. — Tom --------------------------------------------------------------- Tom Malinowski served as a diplomat in the Obama administration, standing up to dictators overseas. Now he's standing up for our democracy as a Congressman representing New Jersey's 7th district — which experts say could be THE deciding race for control of the House this year. ONCE]( MONTHLY]( [Twitter]( Paid for by Tom Malinowski for Congress Tom Malinowski for Congress P.O. Box 263 Somerville, NJ 08876 United States If you need to you can unsubscribe here: [unsubscribe]( You can also [click here to donate](.