As the United States marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the son of a man killed that day issued an emotional appeal against using the tragedy to promote hatred or prejudice toward Muslims.
Michael Massaroli Jr., whose father, Michael Massaroli, died in the attacks, made the remarks during Friday’s 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City after participating in the reading of the victims’ names at the World Trade Center site.
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Addressing those gathered, Massaroli urged people to remember the nearly 3,000 people who died without allowing the tragedy to become a justification for hatred. He said his father’s legacy, and the legacy of all the victims, should not be dishonoured by using September 11 to spread hate.
His comments came as the anniversary was accompanied by renewed controversy over anti-Muslim rhetoric in American public life. The attacks were carried out by 19 hijackers affiliated with al-Qaeda, but Muslim Americans have repeatedly faced discrimination and hostility in the years since, despite the vast majority having no connection to the perpetrators.
Massaroli emphasised the diversity of people who gathered to remember the victims, noting that people of different races, religions and backgrounds were present. His message was that the attacks should be remembered for the lives that were lost rather than exploited to target an entire religious community.
The appeal came during a particularly significant anniversary observance. Ceremonies were held in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as Americans commemorated the victims and reflected on the lasting consequences of the attacks. This year’s New York ceremony also included a moment of silence for people who later died from illnesses connected to exposure to toxic dust at Ground Zero.
The aftermath of 9/11 transformed American foreign policy and domestic security while also contributing to years of heightened scrutiny and discrimination against Muslim and Arab Americans. A quarter-century later, concerns about Islamophobia remain part of the broader debate over how the tragedy should be remembered and discussed.
For Massaroli, the anniversary offered a reminder that grief and remembrance should not be separated from compassion. His message echoed a call for the tragedy to be remembered as a profound human loss rather than used as a tool for dividing communities or directing hatred toward people because of their faith.
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