State Senator Headed to Ground Zero

State Senator Tim Carpenter will be honoring the victims and first responders of 9/11 by visiting New York City on the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

"I’ve visited Ground Zero several times to pay my respects to the bravery and heroism of the first responders of 9/11, and to honor the memory of those killed or injured in the attacks against our country," Carpenter said in a release. "I’ve long planned to make sure that I will be there on the 1oth anniversary.

"So much has happened to our country since the attacks. For every generation of Americans, this was a defining moment. Dangers that had once seem so remote and far away had been brought to our shores. Young people all over the country, including my niece, joined the armed services to defend our nation and go after those who mistakenly thought they could get away with attacking us. The fact that our armed forces have killed the terrorist Osama bin Laden has added another affecting dimension to this anniversary."

Carpenter noted how different the state and country were politically right after the attacks as compared to today.

"At a time when it seems that the gulf between folks in politics could not get any wider, I often recall how we as a nation came together after the 9/11 attacks," he said. "We are a great nation, and no matter the differences we may have, I believe that we can come together and do our best to make this country and this world a better place for ourselves, and our children."

Carpenter is personally paying for this trip and no taxpayer funds will be used.