NH rep likens Old Man of the Mountain collapse to Twin Towers falling on 9/11
CONCORD, N.H. - A New Hampshire state representative is drawing criticism for comparing the collapse of the Old Man of the Mountain to the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed thousands.
"The Old Man falling was akin to the Twin Towers for many of the Granite State and around the world," said Rep. Tim Cahill, a Republican representing Rockingham.
Groans could be heard in the room when Cahill made the comment. The remarks came amid a debate in the Legislature on whether to recognize the anniversary of the rock formation's demise as Old Man of the Mountain Day in New Hampshire.
More than 2,600 people died in New York on September 11, 2001 when terrorists flew jet airliners into the World Trade Center. Comparatively, no one was hurt in Franconia Notch when the stone face crumbled on May 3, 2003.
One state representative called Cahill's remarks "offensive."
"We all 💓 NH's Old Man of the Mountain, but in no way is the Old Man naturally crumbling comparable to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers," Rep. Angela Brennan, a Merrimack Democrat, tweeted.
Another Democratic state representative, Robin Vogt of Rockingham, tweeted that Cahill's comment was "absolutely appalling."