Bush Condemns Domestic And Foreign Extremism On 20th Anniversary Of 9/11 Attacks

LOADING ERROR LOADING Former President George W. Bush drew a parallel between foreign and domestic extremists in his speech to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. “There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home,” Bush said, “but in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit, and it is our continuing duty to confront them.” While Bush did not explicitly touch on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, his speech inevitably invoked the domestic attack on the seat of American political power that was spurred on by one of his successors, President Donald Trump. He said later that “the security measures incorporated into our lives are both sources of comfort and reminders of our vulnerability.” The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has prompted nationwide reflection on the great lengths that have been taken ostensibly to protect Americans ― from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Patriot Act and the National Security Agency’s massive program of domestic surveillance. Bush also spoke critically of the current political environment that “turns every disagreement into an argument and every argument into a clash of cultures.” “So much of our politics has become a naked appeal to anger, fear and resentment,” he said, going on to highlight moments of grace seen 20 years ago that better represent “the nation I know.” Biden also traveled to Shanksville himself Saturday afternoon and offered praise of Bush’s speech.