DALLAS – On Wednesday, Sept. 9, President George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine reflected on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 during a special Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint titled Legacy of Service: America at the 25th Anniversary of 9/11.
“When America is in trouble, Americans respond,” President George W. Bush said. “I got to see it firsthand…. It’s an amazing country.”
President Bush discussed his feelings on hearing of the attacks and the decisions he made in the following days, including the one to visit a mosque after hearing that Muslim women wearing headscarves were being harassed at shopping centers.
“It became clear to me that if this was an ideological struggle – which is what I viewed it as – and we forgo one of the most important parts of our ideology, which is the freedom to worship the way you want to worship, all of a sudden, the enemy has won a victory,” he said.
The event also included opening remarks from Shilo Brooks, the President and CEO of the Bush Center, followed by a moderated conversation between General Caine and J.D. Crouch, former Deputy National Security Advisor. General Caine recalled how, years before becoming the highest-ranking military officer in the nation, he was an Air Force F-16 pilot on Sept 11, 2001, and given orders to protect the airspace over Washington, D.C.
“If you were given a charge to keep, you would deliver on it,” he said. “Because that is who we are as a country. And while we don’t ever want Sept. 11 to happen again, if it ever does, we will respond and we will get through it as a country. We always have, and I believe we always will.”
General Caine also highlighted the courage and accomplishments of our all-volunteer military since 9/11.
“Gratitude is a word that doesn’t capture the gifts they’ve given to us,” he said. “It’s an all-volunteer force. There are 2.8 million members of the U.S. military who could go do something else with their lives. But they choose to do something extraordinary every single day.”
The program also featured voices from the post-9/11 generation of veterans, including Jared Lyon and Melissa Stockwell.
In addition to Wednesday’s event at the Bush Center, President Bush marked this anniversary by painting 16 all-new works of art to reflect on the courage, sacrifice, and resilience that emerged from one of the most defining moments in American history. This collection, titled Remembering 9/11, marks the sixth exhibition of President Bush’s artwork and will be on display Sept. 1-30 in Freedom Hall at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum.
View photos of President Bush’s all-new works of art.
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George W. Bush Presidential Center
Located on the SMU campus in Dallas, Texas, the George W. Bush Presidential Center is a nonpartisan institution advancing the timeless values of freedom, opportunity, accountability, and compassion. The Bush Center comprises the George W. Bush Presidential Museum and the George W. Bush Institute, a solution-oriented policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies through policy solutions and public engagement. The Bush Center also houses the George W. Bush Presidential Library, operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, which provides access to official documents and artifacts from the George W. Bush Administration. Learn more about the Bush Center at bushcenter.org.
Engage at the Bush Center, presented by NexPoint
The Engage at the Bush Center series presented by NexPoint brings newsmakers, thought leaders, and popular figures to the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Thought-provoking, entertaining discussions and experiences allow our guests access to events that only a presidential center can provide.
