In a rare show of unity, political leaders put aside their daily dose of acrimony to stand together on the decade anniversary of the country’s largest terrorist attack. Our president traveled to each of the sites, often standing side by side with members of the opposing party, where Americans lost their lives that day saying that, “The American commitment to freedom, justice, courage and liberty has not dimmed in the face of many trials.”

He began the day at Ground Zero in New York, then hopped to Shanksville, Pa to honor the sacrifice of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 before heading to the Pentagon for a memorial service there. That night, he quoted from Psalm 30 at the Concert for Hope at Kennedy Center, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

America has come through that night, he continued, because we came together, but not without sacrifice and dedication to our ideals. “Two million Americans have gone to war since 9/11,” he said. “They have demonstrated that those who do us harm cannot hide from the reach of justice, anywhere in the world.”

We continue to struggle over the balance between security and liberty, he acknowledged, “But it is precisely the rigor of these debates, and our ability to resolve them in a way that honors our values, that is a measure of our strength.”