North County Tea Party event commemorates 9/11, first responders
Nineteen years ago, terrorists committed acts on American soil that changed life in America forever.
On Friday evening, North County Tea Party members gathered to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
About 300 people gathered for a “Unify America — We Are Stronger Together” rally at the Faces of Freedom Memorial Park in Atascadero.
“Sacrifice,” “liberty,” “honor” and “patriotism” were among the words often repeated by four speakers who took the podium for the commemorative rally.
“Selfless heroes honorably died and we’ll never know how many lives were saved by giving up their own,” said San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow, referencing the United Airlines Flight 93 incident that ended in a crash landing in Pennsylvania.
Dow recounted the heroic efforts of civilian passengers to thwart a potential crash of that plane into a U.S. government building.
After a moment of silence, Dow also recalled many of the details of the multiple hijackings that caused the destruction of the two World Trade Center buildings and thousands of lives, saying that for 100 days after the planes crashed into the towers fire emerged from the smoldering debris.
“We are privileged to be born in this country,” Dow said. “Everyone has the opportunity to succeed. That’s what makes us uniquely American. We are the land of the free and the home of the brave...Let’s make a commitment to never again take it for granted.”
Dow thanked first responders, including Nick Dreyfus, the SLO County Sheriff’s deputy shot in the face by Mason Lira on June 10 as he and another deputy responded to reports of an early morning attack on the Paso Robles Police Department.
Lira was killed in a firefight with authorities on June 11 in Paso Robles after a massive, multi-agency manhunt that also resulted in injuries to three additional officers.
Throughout the early evening 9/11 anniversary event, featuring several American flags, “God Bless America” blasting on a speaker, and prayer, along with a flyover of three planes, attendees cheered. Some shouted out statements of support.
Congressional candidate Andy Caldwell recounted his father’s experience in the Baatan Death March in the Philippines in 1942 where American and Filipino soldiers were forced to march more than 60 miles, many suffering physical abuse without food or water. Thousands were killed by Japanese soldiers.
“I’m going to be speaking about something that’s deeply personal to me,” Caldwell said. “My dad was a Baatan Death March survivor. And he passed away when I was 9 years old...In America today, there’s a meme going around that America is a land of privilege. If that’s true, then we’re lost our soul because America is the land of sacrifice.”
Caldwell said that Sept. 11 marks the day many firefighters, policemen and civilian airline passengers sacrificed their lives to protect American’s freedoms.
“With rights come responsibilities, with rights come sacrifice, values and virtue,” Caldwell said.
Gabriel Abdelaziz, bishop of the Revival Center in Paso Robles, and Vicki Nohrden, candidate for state senator, also spoke at the event.
“Let’s commit ourselves anew to protect the freedoms of (the U.S.A.),” Nohrden said. “...God bless you, God bless California and God bless the U.S.A.”
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 9:46 PM.
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