In the chaotic and terrifying days following 9/11, WWE SmackDown was the first public assembly of its size, taking place live from Houston on Sept. 13, 2001. It proved to be a gathering not only in defiance of terrorism but also a reminder that the United States and its citizens remain resilient.
WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon gave the following address to start the live broadcast:
?Tonight, the spirit of America lives here in Houston, Texas.
On behalf of everyone here in the arena and a worldwide television audience, we would like to extend our condolences to the victims, the families and friends of the victims, of the terrorist attacks that occurred on Tuesday in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Our nation?s leaders have encouraged us to return to living our lives the way we normally do. Our nation?s leaders have encouraged us to continue to live our lives the American way. They?ve encouraged us to practice and exercise our constitutional rights. And as such, tonight this is the first public assembly of its size since the tragedy of Tuesday.
Make no mistake about the message this public assembly is sending to terrorism tonight. And that message quite simply is that we will not live our lives in fear. The citizens of Houston are not afraid. The citizens of Texas are, indeed, not afraid. And, by God, the citizens of the United States are not afraid.?For we are a proud people. Proud of who we are. Proud of our nation ? and damn proud to be Americans. And we will fight. We will fight for our families, we will fight for our rights, and we will fight for our great nation.
America?s heart has been wounded, but her spirit shines as a beacon of freedom that never has been nor ever will be extinguished.
The World Wrestling Federation would like to thank each and every one of you in the Compaq Center tonight. The World Wrestling Federation would like to thank each and every one of you watching on television.?We would like to thank you for the honor and privilege of performing before you tonight.?
For more Superstar remembrances of the Sept. 13, 2011 SmackDown event, click here.
Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/smackdown-vince-mcmahon-address-september-11-2001
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