Ten years ago we started a new journey. The terrorists exploited gaping holes in our open society and killed thousands in the process. The icons of our financial strength were brought to their knees. The foundations of our buildings rocked. They stole our sense of security. In the years since then we have worked to reclaim the feeling of safety .We have improved our intelligence gathering and closed several loop holes. The securities in airports and on trains have given us a sense of protection. Can we be 100% safe, we never can but we have made significant progress towards this goal. We are safer today because we have replaced the veneer of safety with concrete defenses.
We need to always remember the debt that we owe to our first responders. The toxic dust that they were exposed to continues to cost them their lives and their families anguish and pain. A recent report informed us that the risk of cancer is anywhere 19-38% higher for the first responders. We as a nation need to make sure that we never take them for granted and short-change them.
Life in America has changed forever. Terrorism brought down lives and the toxins continue haunt our conscious. We can never let our guard down and as a society need to do what is right for our first responders. We are and will always be America the Beautiful, America the Strong. God Bless Us All, God Bless America.
