On Thursday evening, an 11-foot-long section of the fallen World Trade Center arrived in Auburn, escorted to the city’s Central Fire Station by firefighters, police and citizens. In a compelling demonstration of respect, hundreds of people lined the streets and more were at the station when the steel was unloaded.

The section of tower will be mounted as a permanent memorial on the lawn at the station on Minot Avenue and dedicated on Sept. 11.

The attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 were the worst on American soil, but not the first. The 1941 Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor killed 2,402 men and wounded another 1,247, launching the United States’ formal entry into World War II.

The USS Arizona Memorial is now among the nation’s most-visited sites, but it’s not easy to get to. In addition to the travel to Hawaii, visitors have to ferry to the memorial’s location in the waters of Pearl Harbor.

Those who are able to make the emotional journey find it worthwhile, but not everyone can make that trip.

The World Trade Center memorials to be placed at fire stations throughout this country will be easily accessible to all, which seems fitting given the numbers of Americans affected by America’s War on Terror, launched in response to the terrorists’ attacks.

Cheers to Auburn firefighter Julian Beale for his efforts to obtain the World Trade Center steel from the New Jersey/New York Port Authority, and his efforts to obtain a similar piece for Farmingdale, where he volunteers for his hometown fire department.

Beale is among hundreds of American firefighters who applied for sections of steel, and the scene in Auburn Thursday evening has already been seen in other communities, including Chicago, Wisconsin Rapids and Shrewsbury, Mass., as fire departments have organized permanent memorials.

The scene will be repeated many more times as sections of steel are delivered to cities and towns across the country, as this nation prepares to observe the wrenching 10-year anniversary of 9/11.

*

As 12:15 a.m. Friday, the Maine Democratic Party issued a press release critical of Gov. Paul LePage’s hiring of a “New York City lawyer” to engage in contract negotiations with state workers.

Workers’ contract expired midnight Thursday.

At 12:29 a.m. Friday, the Maine State Employees Union issued a similar press release, mentioning the New York lawyer twice.

Is there something deviant about hiring a lawyer from New York? Never mind that this particular lawyer’s firm also has offices in sunny Florida and homespun Kansas. But, mentioning New York makes him sound scary and, worse, big-city expensive.

Why?

Former Gov. John McKernan hired a New York lawyer to work contract negotiations.

Former Gov. John Baldacci also looked to New York talent, not for a lawyer, but to market tourism in Maine. That administration contracted with Warren Kremer Paino Advertising, of Park Avenue no less, to market Maine at an annual cost of some $3 million.

So, Maine governors hiring New Yorkers is done. Not often, but it happens.

The MSEA-SEIU has tersely challenged LePage to put aside his rhetoric when dealing with the union.

The union’s chastisement of LePage for his decision to hire out of New York, when others before him have done the same, is — well — pure rhetoric.

Right?

[email protected]

The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and editorial board.