[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21429]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


   RECOGNIZING CUBA, NY AND ITS LIBERTY POLE COMMEMORATING 9/11/2001

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                          HON. ERIC J.J. MASSA

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 2009

  Mr. MASSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the citizens of 
Cuba, NY, who tomorrow will dedicate a 150-foot flag pole, which they 
have dubbed the Liberty Pole, to commemorate the tragedy that befell 
our great Nation on September 11, 2001. I will have the honor of being 
at that ceremony, where I will see flown for the first time a large 
American flag that flew over this storied chamber only days ago.
  Cuba, like thousands of small towns across our Nation, experienced 
the tremendous sadness and loss of that day, and like their fellow 
Americans they rose to the challenge, sending dozens of people to 
Ground Zero to assist in the rescue efforts. Volunteers from their fire 
department, ambulance corps, and local charities all donated their 
time, efforts, and equipment. These were acts of individual heroism, 
but more importantly, they were the acts of a selfless, compassionate, 
and patriotic community who answered the call for help in our Nation's 
time of need. Tomorrow, that community will come together to fly our 
Nation's flag atop the Liberty Pole, one of the tallest flag poles in 
the country.
  As a veteran, our country's flag holds special meaning in my heart. 
Like so many before and after me, I rose in the morning and retired 
each night honoring our Nation's flag, privileged to have the duty of 
defending it from those who would cause what it stood for harm. In Cuba 
tomorrow, as that great flag flies over us, we will be reminded that 
this sacred duty is not exclusively that of the solider. Men and women 
from all walks of life, privileged to be citizens of this greatest 
nation on Earth, share in this duty and in the responsibility of 
passing this flag and its solemn significance on to future generations 
of Americans. There have been 26 predecessors to our current fifty-star 
flag, but the American ideals of freedom, liberty, and of shared 
sacrifice represented by our flag have remained unchanged since our 
Nation's inception.
  The Liberty Pole in Cuba will now stand for generations as a 
testament to the enduring patriotism of a community and of the 
resiliency of the American Spirit. Each day, our Nation's flag will fly 
atop its mast, reminding both the residents of Cuba, NY, and our Nation 
not only of the events of September 11, 2001, but of America's ability 
to overcome adversity, to share in sacrifice, to confront her enemies, 
and to build a brighter and more prosperous future for her children. 
These qualities will ensure that our Nation will always overcome 
tragedy, and it is these qualities that will forever make our Nation 
great.

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