United or divided? Speakers urge unity at Utah 9/11 memorial ceremony

SALT LAKE CITY — People gathered at the Utah State Capitol on Friday for a memorial ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican who's been on a book tour preaching the importance of getting along with others and mending political divisions, spoke about the feelings of unity Americans felt after 9/11. He wondered whether there is way to "recapture" that.

"I also wonder, that if 9/11 happened right now, would we respond the same way we did then?" Cox said. "How long would it take us to point the finger at those terrible Republicans or those evil Democrats who made that event possible? Would it take an hour? Would it take a week? Take a month? I don't know."

The governor added, with some emotion in his voice, "I don't know how to get that back, but I feel strongly that we have to, that we have to find a way."

Cox and fellow Gov. Wes Moore, D-Maryland, are serving as honorary co-chairs of the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance initiative, which encourages Americans to do acts of service in honor of those who died 25 years ago.

Utahn who lost family members speaks

Norm Wahlstrom lost his mother and sister on Sept. 11, 2001. Mary Alice Wahlstrom and Carolyn Beug were both passengers on American Airlines Flight 11, which was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

In his remarks during Friday's ceremony, Wahlstrom reflected on that day — and how the nation has changed since then.

"Even though it was a heartbreaking experience for me and my family, it was such a heartwarming experience to see the response of humanity — to see the kindness and love, to see people pull together," he said. "It truly seemed like the United States of America. Not red and blue, not divisive the way it is now, but people reached out and cared for one another."

Wahlstrom said it's important to memorialize days like this so people can remember what happened and become better.

"God will bless this nation — he will bless us — as we bless each other," he said.

People in the audience at the Capitol gave Wahlstrom a standing ovation after he spoke.

Has America forgotten?

Maj. Gen. Brian Tarbet, who previously served as adjutant general of the Utah National Guard, was in Washington, D.C. for meetings on Sept. 11, 2001. He recalled the scene of people flooding out of the city and leaving the airport.

"It was surreal," he said.

The message of 9/11 each year is "Never Forget." But Tarbet said he worries that's exactly what's happened.

"We've forgotten. We as a people have forgotten," he said. "It's not just the 100 million that we're raising. We've let this go in our minds."

Tarbet said a "clash of civilizations" produced the terrorist attacks, and that the hijackers were motivated by a "malignant and malign evil."

"The consequence of remembering it means we are in a long war as a people," he said. "This won't end quickly. We are in a long — maybe the long — twilight struggle. But it's worth the struggle because we defend freedom."

Tarbet added, "the cost of forgetting is too great and too important."

The Utah National Guard's 23rd Army Band provided music for the event. Bentley Myers also played "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes.

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