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While the events of last week achieved one goal terrorists usually aim for--to sow a widespread sense of fear and uncertainty--they also raised the public's consciousness about anthrax in a way no public-service announcement ever could. Just as it would be harder to hijack a plane today than it was a month or so ago, it's now going to be a lot harder to take Americans by surprise with envelopes full of powder. If this really was another bin Laden-inspired attack, America may be safer than we think.
--Reported by Alice Park and Amanda Ripley/New York, Tim Padgett and Kathie Klarreich/Boca Raton, and Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles, with other bureaus
TIME.com To see a commonsense guide to living with terrorists, go to time.com/unhysterical.com