September 11, 2001: it’s a day that changed history forever.
In the 18 years that have passed since the attacks, international relations and our entire global landscape have changed in unimaginable ways.
But every year on September 11, we take a moment to remember the victims of 9/11; those who simply went to work as usual or caught a flight, the law enforcement officers, paramedics and firefighters who risked and sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, and the families and loved ones they all left behind.
We must never forget, and we must never let fear stand in our way.
Because in our darkest hours, we also witness the power of community and solidarity; we see people at their very best like the residents of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, who housed and fed some 7,000 stranded travelers in the week following the attacks.
We come together and we rebuild in the name of love, hope and courage. 9/11 happened in the name of hate and it’s a poison that destroys – we must not let hate win.
It’s been 18 years since 9/11 and our love, hope and courage are more important now than ever.
In Solidarity,
Warren (Smokey) Thomas
OPSEU President
Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida
OPSEU First Vice-President/Treasurer