Herb Kohl: “Today we remember the terrible events of September 11. A year has passed but for those who lost loved ones or sustained…”

“Today we remember the terrible events of September 11. A year has passed but for those who lost loved ones or sustained serious injuries in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center or at the Pentagon, the pain is still fresh and the loss is still palpable. Losing a loved one is always difficult but to experience loss as a result of a senseless act of terror can only compound the pain. For Americans in general, the sheer number of lives lost on September 11 was a national tragedy. Those of us who did not lose friends and family also experienced loss on September 11, albeit a loss of a different kind. On September 11, we lost our sense of personal safety. The idea that terrorism could strike Americans going about their business, working in their offices or taking a simple plane ride for business or pleasure, has changed us forever. Travel by air will never be the same post-September 11. And on a less tangible level, we are now cognizant that in a free society like ours terrorists cannot truly be contained. The threat of terrorism may subside but it will never disappear. On September 11, we lost our sense of trust. We have become more suspicious of those who want to enter our country.”