Remembering 9/11 by Seeking Truth and Nonviolence
Kucinich gave the following speech in Congress on September 8, 2005:
Speaking as the House considered H. Res. 427, Relating to the Terrorist Attacks Against the United States on September 11, 2001, Congressman Kucinich said:
"Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we remember 9/11, the victims, the aftermath of 9/11 and the policies which have been put in place as a result of that day of great tragedy. It is also appropriate that our remembering not be selective so as to preclude America from taking a path of truth and reconciliation.
"Immediately after the attacks upon our Nation, all across the world people responded in solidarity with America, much as we are seeing at this moment in response to the unfortunate disaster of Hurricane Katrina. The world is always ready to embrace America and to share in our highest aspirations.
"Unfortunately, sadly, decisions were made by some in the administration to use 9/11 as an opportunity to advance a longstanding ideological desire, with financial incentives to invade Iraq and overthrow its government.
"Whenever we remember 9/11, and we should, we must also remember that some in the administration used 9/11 as an excuse to wage an illegal war against a nation that did not attack us, that had nothing to do with 9/11, that did not have the capability or the intention of attacking us, and that had no weapons of mass destruction.
"9/11 could never be justified, nor should any attack upon this Nation ever be justified. But I think America lost a moment after 9/11 to come together as a national community in search of ways that we could take new directions to meet an emerging challenge of terrorism with new strategies, new initiatives, because we are learning the limitations of trying to solve our difficulties through armed force.
"9/11 was a tragedy, and it was compounded by the war in and against Iraq. That war has separated us from many of our friends in the international community. It has drained our resources. It has cost us the lives of over 1,900 American servicemen, servicewomen, and has cost the lives of countless Iraqis who are innocent.
"We need to heal our Nation. We need to come together as Americans so that we can assert our commonalities, our common interests in the general welfare of our countrymen and countrywomen. But in order to do that, we need to go back through that tunnel of 9/11, and the only way we can do that is to be guided by truth.
"We still need to heal the Nation, but we will not be able to do it with arms. We can only do it by seeking the truth. And I contend that at this moment, when we stand united to pass this resolution, that we should also highly resolve that violence is not going to be the means that we use in the future to solve the differences that we have with nations.
"Next week, Members of this House will come together to introduce legislation to create a Cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence, which recognizes that the path of peace can be active, can be firm, can have resolve, and can help us achieve a new world."
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