When the Twin Towers in America were under attack on what has come to be known as 9/11 or September the eleventh 2001 it was approximately 10.45 pm here in Malaysia.
At that time I wasn't aware of it until alerted by Kristina who happened to be watching the news on TV. She wasn't sure what was happening.
Only when it finally dawned on us that two planes had indeed crashed into the towers that the horror of what we were seeing on TV sank in. My first reaction was shock and disbelief. And then anger.
Anger at the people who would do this madness, whatever might have motivated them.
We were glued to the TV eager to find out more, but I had to prepare for my client's court case in the morning.
It is 10 years since and yet the horrors remain and people are still grieving. The Taliban have been driven out of Afghanistan and Osama Laden is dead.
But the question still remains. Why would anyone do such madness and kill innocent civilians? And in the name of religion or jihad or holy war?
Anytime you kill in the name of god, aren't you making a fool of yourself or the divine? Don't we ever think?
We might have our own grievances, but to kill innocent people in the name of the divine or jihad or holy war - what madness is it? If we say god is love and ever forgiving and compassionate, killing in the name of the divine must be the most ungodly thing to do.
I was working at the warehouse in Leicester, England, picking orders when the news was breaking on the radio. It was a surreal moment as it sank in. Will never forget it.
ReplyDeleteIt was all surreal to us too, Duncan. The most horrible image was of people jumping off the burning towers. For several days afterwards we were still glued to the TV trying to make sense of the madness.
ReplyDeleteYes that image was one that will always last in memory. No words sufficient to describe...
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