Herb Kohl: “5 years ago, the Nation woke up to a crisp and sunny fall day and went to bed in a world forever changed. We lost so…”

“5 years ago, the Nation woke up to a crisp and sunny fall day and went to bed in a world forever changed. We lost so much that day--3000 lives, a skyline, a sense of safety in our homes, our comforting ignorance of the stark face of evil. Since 9/11, we have tried to heal, to remember with honor those we lost. And we have tried to make real the false security we felt that crisp September morning before the first plane hit. We have--and will continue to--debate what America has become since 9/11. We need to figure out if we are safer, if we have sacrificed too much freedom for security, if we have paid too little to bolster the first responders, if we have fought the wrong war in Iraq, if we haven't done the right work in Afghanistan. These questions should and must be answered. But today, we need to put aside our considerable differences and recall the common, deep wound every American suffered on 9/11. Our sorrow, anger, and shock were not partisan; we were united in our outrage and unified in our resolve. As we remember today who and what we lost on 9/11, we must also remember the love we share for who and what we are in America. That is what was attacked that September morning--and that is what can bring us together to build a more secure America.”