Crow Reflects on 25 Years Since the September 11th Attacks

AURORA — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a three-time combat veteran of the Global War on Terror, released a new video reflecting on 25 years since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. 

Following the September 11th attacks, Crow joined active duty military service. He deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan as a paratrooper and Army Ranger with the 82nd Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment. He received the Bronze Star for his leadership in Iraq.

On this solemn anniversary in a new video, Crow recounts his memories of September 11th and how the events of that day altered the trajectory of his life. He also provides his thoughts on America’s response to the attacks and what Americans should take from that day and the ensuing conflicts. 

Watch the Congressman’s remarks below.

A full transcript can be viewed below:

Where were you on September 11, 2001?

“I had just started my senior year at college at the University of Wisconsin. I was in my first week back at classes, and that morning I was actually in my car on my way to campus for classes and heard on the radio the news. So immediately, turned around, went back to my house, and turned on the TV like many Americans that morning, and saw the chaos and the tragedy unfolding.”

How do you remember those who lost their lives that day?

“I always try to observe on 9/11 the sacrifices of first responders, the police, the firefighters, the EMTs and others who gave their life on 9/11. But those who are serving our community today and their willingness to meet moments of tragedy. To literally run into the fire to save Coloradans, to save Americans. It's incredible. And we should all honor that service.”

How did September 11th affect your life?

“It completely changed my life, like millions of Americans. I didn't realize it at the time, but what happened that day would completely change the trajectory of my life. Very quickly we were a nation at war, for the first time in a long time. And I was unwilling to let other people go and do my fighting for me. You know, I grew up in a working class family, and I wasn't going to have other working class kids go and bear the burden on my behalf. And I was also angry. I was angry about being attacked, I wanted to do my part, I wanted to fight back. Like many people did.

“Later, my views changed about what that means and what fighting back actually looks like, and how to do that the right way versus the wrong way, but at the time, that's what it meant to me. So I had just started the last year of my ROTC, and I had a National Guard contract, so I was going to be commissioned in the National Guard as an officer, and I went into my ROTC unit commander and asked for a transition to an active duty contract and asked for infantry, and airborne, and Ranger training, and the Army was happy to oblige all those requests. So less than a year later, I was an infantry officer going through all the training and getting ready to go to war.”

What has stayed with you most about that day?

“Well, you know those images of that day seeing people, husbands, wives, parents make that decision to jump out of those towers instead of burn is just seared into my mind, and the horror of being faced with that decision. That's a big one. Seeing the towers collapse, the imagery of the towers collapse, and the first responders who gave their lives.

“And then I think about not just the tragedy of that day, but then what happened in the years that followed and how we chose to respond. And now, as a member of Congress, as a legislator, as a policymaker, I think deeply about not just what happens when a country faces tragedy or comes under attack and how that defines us in our immediate response, how America came together, how we unified, but also how we respond in the months and years that follow, and the sacrifices that go into that. You know, the 7,000 Americans that then gave their lives and the ensuing two decades, the hundreds of thousands that did combat deployments who were wounded, who bear the visible and invisible scars of that day. The hundreds of thousands of others around the world who died in the ensuing conflicts. 

“And whether or not we're really safer now, right. We're still fighting terrorism around the world. And what does an effective terrorism response look like? You know, do we respond militarily, or should we have taken a law enforcement response? And if we had chosen that path, what that would have looked like, would that have made us safer? Would that have required less sacrifice, less cost in lives, and also in treasure?

What do you hope Americans remember and carry forward today?

“Well, that America still has the ability, I think, to come together, to support each other in the face of tragedy. That we have more in common than maybe our differences might suggest, I still believe that, I still deeply believe that. And even though we are divided, there's partisanship, families are divided by politics, I think we can get beyond that point. 

“We have seen great tragedy and great challenges as a nation over our 250 years, and we've been tested many times before. I really believe we can get beyond this and we can come out of it better, but it requires leadership. It requires us to look at our common humanity. It requires us to reconnect with each other, and get to know each other as friends, as neighbors, as colleagues, not just as Republicans and Democrats. And I don't say that, being naive about the real challenges we face and the threats that we face right now to our our system, I know those deeply, but I say that as somebody that served three combat tours, I have seen people, known people who have given their life to this country, and still believe in our common humanity and the ties that really do bind us. 

“And the last is a personal and relentless pursuit for us to learn the lessons that we need to learn. We have just been through cycles where it's sometimes hard for us to learn tough lessons about how to use our military and what to do and what not to do. I wouldn't hesitate to use our military to protect us again if it's necessary, but there's a very strong argument to be made for more restraint. Not doing certain things that are outside of our interests. Pulling back from some of our conflicts and engagements and focusing on home. Focusing on the needs of Americans, and our military and our military families. 

“We should not be in an endless cycle of conflict. Since 9/11, we have been engaged in armed conflict every day for 25 years now. And I don't think that's inevitable. I don't think that needs to happen. And I think we have to have a national conversation about it.”

###