Staff Reports
A widow who lost her husband in the 9/11 terrorist attacks has taken President Joe Biden to task for his astonishingly careless remarks regarding that tragic day. At a ceremony recognizing the 23rd anniversary of the attacks, where names of victims were solemnly read aloud, Biden decided it was a fitting moment to utter he would “do 9/11.” The timing of his comments raised eyebrows, as they came just a day before such a significant remembrance, making one wonder if the President has lost touch with reality—or perhaps, basic decency.
Joanne Barbara, who bravely shared her story about losing her husband, the chief of the New York City Fire Department, expressed her intense disapproval of Biden’s wording. Referring to the gathering of political figures and families at the solemn occasion, she deemed the president’s comment “quite a flippant remark.” Given the gravity of the event, his casual attitude about the attacks is hard to fathom and only serves to highlight a trend of insensitivity that seems to permeate his administration.
Shortly after this 9/11 widow called out the Biden-Harris Administration for his comment yesterday "I'll do 9/11" and the plea deal they negotiated for the 9/11 Orchestrators, they walked out in the middle of the names of those who parished being read.
Blatant disrespect. https://t.co/UlyCtS8yGi pic.twitter.com/QmkvCBckAu
— The Constitutionalist 🇺🇸 (@WeWillBeFree24) September 11, 2024
Adding salt to the wound, Barbara reminded everyone of the recent debacle regarding a plea deal for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. The Department of Defense struck this ill-conceived deal before the outcry from the 9/11 community forced officials to retract it. Barbara’s outrage is palpable; asking how anyone could even think to negotiate with terrorists demonstrates both the appalling direction of government policy and Biden’s seeming detachment from the realities facing victims’ families.
Bouncing back from her firm criticism of Biden, the widow also called attention to the continued suffering of first responders and military personnel afflicted by post-9/11 illnesses. The staggering statistic that 377 FDNY personnel have died due to these illnesses outnumbers the 343 who perished on that fateful day. One must wonder if Biden is aware of such grim figures or simply incapable of processing the emotional weight attached to them.
Barbara concluded her impassioned address by invoking blessings for those battling post-9/11 illnesses and for the brave souls who serve on the front lines, whether in the fire department or the military. With the CDC estimating around 400,000 individuals faced harmful exposures after 9/11, it would be prudent for the current administration to remember that the scars of that day run deep. Instead of flippant remarks, what victims and their families seek is compassion, accountability, and a commitment to ensuring that justice is not just another political talking point lost in the ether.
