By: Dr. Avi Verma
Publisher, IndoUS Tribune

Twenty-five years have passed since September 11, 2001, the day America awoke to an unimaginable reality. It was a day that changed the United States, reshaped the world and left a permanent mark on the hearts and minds of generations.

On that September morning, 19 terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two were deliberately flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York, one struck the Pentagon, and passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93 fought back, forcing the aircraft to crash in Pennsylvania before it could reach its intended target. In all, 2,977 innocent people from 90 nations lost their lives. Thousands more were injured, and countless families, first responders and communities carried the consequences long after the smoke had cleared.

But the story of 9/11 is not only a story of destruction. It is also a story of extraordinary courage.

Firefighters climbed the stairs of the World Trade Center knowing the danger they faced. Police officers, emergency workers, medical professionals and ordinary citizens rushed toward danger while others were trying to escape it. On Flight 93, passengers and crew demonstrated extraordinary bravery by confronting the hijackers. Across America, strangers embraced strangers, communities came together, and the nation stood united.

Twenty-five years later, how far have we come?

The answer is: remarkably far, but not far enough to become complacent.

9/11 exposed serious weaknesses in America’s intelligence sharing, aviation security, emergency communications and preparedness. In the years that followed, the United States undertook sweeping changes. The Department of Homeland Security was created, federal agencies strengthened cooperation, aviation security was fundamentally transformed, passenger screening and intelligence systems were expanded, and federal, state and local authorities developed stronger mechanisms to share information and respond to threats.

Today, America’s aviation and homeland-security systems are vastly different from those that existed before 9/11. Cockpit doors have been reinforced. Passenger and baggage screening has been strengthened. Threat information is shared more broadly. Emergency-response agencies have improved coordination and communications. Intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities have evolved significantly.

These measures have made America stronger and more resilient.

Yet security is never a finished project.

The nature of terrorism has changed. Threats can emerge from overseas or from within our own communities. Lone actors, radicalization, cyberattacks, emerging technologies and attacks on critical infrastructure present challenges that could not have been fully imagined in 2001.

That is why one of the most important lessons of 9/11 is that we must never confuse progress with permanence.

The lesson is not to live in fear. It is to remain prepared.

We must continue strengthening intelligence cooperation while protecting the constitutional freedoms that define America. We must secure our borders and critical infrastructure without losing sight of America’s tradition of opportunity and openness. We must equip first responders with the resources and training they need. And we must ensure that communities understand that protecting America is not solely the responsibility of government, it is a shared responsibility.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is the importance of unity.

On September 11, 2001, Americans did not first ask about race, religion, political affiliation or background. They helped one another because they were Americans.

We should remember that spirit.

As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11, let us remember every innocent life lost, every family forever changed, every first responder who made the ultimate sacrifice and every survivor who continues to carry the memories of that day.

Let us also remember the America that emerged from the ashes, an America that rebuilt, adapted and became stronger.

The best tribute to those we lost is not simply to remember September 11.

It is to learn from it, remain vigilant, protect our freedoms, reject hatred and division, and ensure that future generations inherit an America that is safer, stronger and united.

We remember.

We honor.

We remain vigilant.

And we will never forget.