The Shelton Board of Aldermen Thursday approved a resolution that encourages Shelton residents to display an American flag on Sept. 11, and observe a minute of silence in memory of those who died during the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
The full resolution is posted below:
National Moment of Remembrance of the 10th Anniversary of September 11th Attacks.
WHEREAS, the governing body of the City of Shelton, CT expresses their support of the United State’s Senate regarding coming together as a Nation and ceasing all work or other activity for a moment of remembrance beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 11, 2011; and
WHEREAS, at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the upper portion of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York; and
WHEREAS, 17 minutes later, at 9:03 a.m., hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center; and
WHEREAS, at 9:37 a.m., the west wall of the Pentagon was hit by hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, the impact of which caused immediate and catastrophic damage to the headquarters of the Department of Defense; and
WHEREAS, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the passengers and crew of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 acted heroically to retake control of the airplane and thwart the taking of additional American lives by crashing the airliner in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and, in doing so, gave their lives to save countless others; and
WHEREAS, nearly 3,000 innocent civilians were killed in the heinous attacks of September 11, 2001; and
WHEREAS, tens of thousands of individuals narrowly escaped the attacks at the Pentagon and World Trade Center and, as witness to this tragedy, are forever changed; and
WHEREAS, countless fire departments, police departments, first responders, governmental officials, workers, emergency medical personnel, and volunteers responded immediately and heroically to those horrific events; and
WHEREAS, the Fire Department of New York suffered 343 fatalities on September 11, 2001, the largest loss of life of any emergency response agency in United States history; and
WHEREAS, the Port Authority Police Department suffered 37 fatalities in the attacks, the largest loss of life of any police force in United States history in a single day; and
WHEREAS, the New York Police Department suffered 23 fatalities as a result of the terrorist attacks; and
WHEREAS, the impact of that day on public health continues through 2011, as nearly 90,000 people are at risk of or suffering from negative health effects as a result of the events of September 11, 2001, including 14,000 workers and 2,400 community residents who are sick, and tens of thousands of others whose health is being monitored; and
WHEREAS, 10 years later, the people of the United States and people around the world continue to mourn the tremendous loss of innocent life on that fateful day; and
WHEREAS, 10 years later, thousands of men and women in the United States Armed Forces remain in harm’s way defending the United States against those who seek to threaten and harm the United States; and
WHEREAS, on the 10th anniversary of this tragic day, the thoughts of the people of the United States are with all of the victims of the events of September 11, 2001 and their families; and
WHEREAS, the lives of Americans were changed forever on September 11, 2001, when events threatened the American way of life; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, Congress and the President joined together to designate September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under the Serve America Act (Public Law 111 – 13; 123 Stat. 1460); and
WHEREAS, in September 2009 and 2010, the President issued Proclamation 8413 (74 Fed. Reg. 47045) and Proclamation 8559 (75 Fed. Reg. 56463) proclaiming September 11, 2009 and September 11, 2010 respectively as Patriot Day and Nation Day of Service and Remembrance; and
WHEREAS, September 11 will never, and should never, be just another day in the hearts and minds of all people of the United States;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Aldermen of the City of Shelton, CT
(1) recognizes September 11, 2011, as a day of solemn commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001, and a day to come together as a Nation; and
(2) offers its deepest and most sincere condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the innocent victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; and
(3) honors the heroic service, actions, and sacrifices of first responders, law enforcement personnel, state and local officials, volunteers, and countless others who aided the innocent victims of those attacks and, in doing so, bravely risked and often gave their own lives; and
(4) recognizes the valiant service, actions and sacrifices of United States personnel, including members of the United States Armed Forces, the United States intelligence agencies, the United States diplomatic service, homeland security and law enforcement personnel and their families, who have given so much, including their lives and well-being, to support the cause of freedom and to defend the security of the United States; and
(5) reaffirms that the people of the United States will never forget the challenges our country endured on and since September 11, 2001, and will work tirelessly to defeat those who attacked the United States; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on the 10th anniversary of this tragic day in United States history the Board of Aldermen of the City of Shelton, CT calls upon all of the people and institutions of the United States to observe a moment of remembrance on September 11, 2011; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Aldermen of the City of Shelton, CT encourages the observance of the moment of remembrance to last for 1 minute beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Aldermen of the City of Shelton, CT encourages everyone to display the flag of these United States of America to honor those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and those who still suffer the effects of that terrible day in the history of our great country. We also call upon everyone to remember the days, weeks and months following September 11, 2001 when our country was bathed in American Flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds; and finally
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the blessings of almighty God be with those who perished, those who still suffer and those who mourn.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!