Bonus Quote of the Day (John Avlon, on NYC, The Post-9/11 ‘Resilient City’)

“What was really attacked on September 11th was the idea of New York City and America itself—a beacon of freedom, diversity, and equal opportunity. That spirit is intact and undaunted. In fact, our devotion to those ideals has only been strengthened by the selfless heroism we have seen.

“We now recognize that we are all part of a larger narrative, and while our city may never be the same, we will be better and stronger as a result of all we have experienced. Much has been taken from us, but much remains; and even in the dark, a great deal of light still shines upon the city of New York.”—John P. Avlon, “The Resilient City: New York After 9/11,” The Daily Beast, Sept. 11, 2014

The attached image is of the “Survivor Tree” from 9/11, the only tree to survive from that awful day. It has taken on deep significance for the city as a symbol of the same kind of resilience that Avlon—the chief speechwriter for Mayor Giuliani, responsible for writing or editing eulogies for more than 400 firefighters, police officers, and other rescue workers killed on 9/11—writes about above.