I Will Not Forget

We Will Not Yield

North Carolina State Rep. Deb Butler & President Raleigh-Apex NAACP Gerald D. Givens Jr.

This morning, North Carolinians stood in solidarity in front of the General Assembly demanding the resignation of Speaker Tim Moore for the unethical budget veto override yesterday. State Rep. Deb Butler voiced her outrage after House Republicans called a surprise vote to overrule the governor’s budget veto while most Democrats were not present; at least one member was attending a 9/11 ceremony in his district. Others were preparing for redistricting meetings because they were notified the 8:30am session on September 11th would be a “no-vote” session.

Yesterday should have been a day of reflection, honor, and introspection for victims and survivors of 9/11. A day for veterans like me who served in the US combat response to those who perpetuated these horrific attacks 18 years ago.

1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte was named the recipient of the Medal for Valor posthumously from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Jan. 22, 2010. Lieutenant Schulte, 25, of St. Louis died May 20, 2009, near Kabul, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device. Lieutenant Schulte is the 10th U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, and first female, killed while supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Personally, 9/11 is a day for me to remember Roslyn “Roz” Schulte, the first female US Air Force Academy graduate to ever be killed by enemy action and the second female killed in action in Afghanistan. I experienced the personal honor of planning the memorial with her family at the Air Force, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency. We would go on to dedicate a video teleconference…