Shame on New York City for Forgetting 'Never Forget'

Mr. Mayor has turned a deaf ear to their pleas, and maintains he will be there – with his smug mug front and center – despite what the families want. "I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration, reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day felt by all of us who call this city home, and frankly, by all of us who call this country home," he recently told the media.

And here's why he's not welcome:

While Mamdani has never publicly endorsed the 9/11 attacks, he has suggested that FBI surveillance helped drive Anwar al-Awlaki – an American-born radical Islamic cleric who became a leading propagandist and operational figure for al-Qaeda – into the terrorist organization. 

This isn't a guy who should be anywhere near Ground Zero.

I've got to tell you, the plight of the families has really been on my mind. Mostly, I can't believe that these families have to beg to keep that solemn day solemn. That there's anyone out there who doesn't wish them peace on that day.

These are the same families the city, not to mention the entire nation, embraced as they faced the truly unimaginable. A horror like we've never seen before, with many never even getting a body back to bury. The nation offered their unconditional support in helping these families put the shreds of their lives back together (which they did because there was no other option).

READ MORE: The Very Personal Reason Patricia Heaton Wants Mamdani to Butt Out of 9/11 Commemorations

9/11 Families Have a Surprise Waiting for Mamdani If He Shows Up at Ground Zero

For years, Diane Sawyer would do an annual story on the babies born after their fathers were killed on 9/11. She not only told the stories of the kids growing up in homes with glaring absences, but of the widows who had no choice but to carry on in the face of their grief.

We've tried our best for a quarter of a century to hold them in our figurative embrace because we saw the evil of that day, too. We share their grief. 

So, why do the 9/11 families no longer matter on that scale? Sure, time erodes, but it hasn't been that long.

Disclaimer: I know that, beyond the 9/11 families, there are many, many New Yorkers who haven't forgotten, remember well what happened that day, didn't vote for the commie, and are appalled at the thought of him being there and making it all about him. This is not about them.

However, when I was in New York City for a family funeral last September – just a few weeks before Mamdani ascended the throne – I saw firsthand what was happening. The funeral was held at a Catholic church on the Upper East Side and the locals who attended were clueless. Oh, nothing will change; everything will be fine. And did you hear Cousin John bought a Tesla?

Walking around the city, the vibe was one of mental illness and entitled privilege (along with the smell of weed everywhere!). You could see the storm coming and could do nothing to stop it. The lessons of 9/11 and 9/12 had been largely forgotten. 

It's absolutely maddening and heartbreaking that so many New Yorkers have forgotten "Never Forget." Shame on the city for forsaking the 9/11 families and shame on Mamdani for making their pain worse.

Go here if you're interested in signing the petition telling Mamdani to butt out of the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero. And if you want to know why the families are so adamant about this, this X thread explains in vivid detail.

Nearly 10k signatures from New Yorkers demanding to bar Mamdani from the 9/11 anniversary ceremony, numbers climbing by the minute.

The petition was drafted by someone who lost their family member on 9/11.

🧵 with some signatories’ heartfelt comments.https://t.co/vE7wJjmhy4 pic.twitter.com/dLR4yivCB3

— Tali Goldsheft (@TaliGoldsheft) July 27, 2026