Kay Bailey Hutchison: “1 year ago today, 3,000 people woke up, kissed their loved ones goodbye, went to work, and never returned. In the blink…”

“1 year ago today, 3,000 people woke up, kissed their loved ones goodbye, went to work, and never returned. In the blink of an eye, their lives were brutally taken by the violent acts of terrorists. Together, we grieved and mourned for those who lost their lives. We marveled at the heroism and bravery of the first responders--the firefighters, emergency personnel, and police officers--who rushed into the devastation to help others, many sacrificing their own lives in the process. But the American spirit of resilience rose from the ashes of Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and that quiet field in Pennsylvania. Our collective anguish became our national resolve. We focused our energies on destroying the cowardly instigators of this tragedy so they could not do it again to us or any other nation on Earth. We will forever recall this day, but we are not a vengeful people. As Americans, we value peace, freedom, and liberty. We know our diversity and tolerance of other views, religions, and ways of life are what make our Nation great. We do not perpetuate hatred or violence. We teach our children to love one another and treat others with respect. America was born out of a great struggle. The words of our Founding Fathers ring as true today as they did more than 200 years ago. In 1771, Samuel Adams said: The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”