The 9/11 Museum’s attempts to exclude the iconic photo of three FDNY firefighters hoisting an American flag in the rubble of Ground Zero is mind-boggling and political correctness run amuck, former deputy mayor Joe Lhota today charged. Mr. Lhota called the image a powerful reminder of our country’s most fundamental values and a symbol of America’s resiliency and freedom, even in the face of unspeakable adversity.

New reports have emerged that detail how museum officials tried to exclude the photo from exhibitions for being “too rah-rah America” and that the displays should “not be Americans so vigilantly and so vehemently.”

“More than ten years later, that image continues to be a powerful reminder of our country’s most fundamental values,” said Mr. Lhota. “It is a representation of our resiliency and commitment to freedoms that are admired around the world. A desire to downplay what Americans have fought so hard to achieve and maintain is simply mind-boggling.”

Mr. Lhota concluded, “Our country is made up of immigrants from all around the world who are proud to show their patriotism. There is something incredibly special about the spirit of Americans and New Yorkers, and we should never shy away from putting that on display.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)