Today as I launch this blog we are commemorating the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America. It is an anniversary I treat with trepidation because muslim terrorists believe that media attention on their nefarious deeds in the West constitutes a great victory. The last time the media in this country made a big thing about a 9/11 anniversary was in 2002 and just a month later the muslims responded with the Bali bombing which killed 88 Aussies.
So I look upon this anniversary with a mixture of sadness, anger and trepidation.
Now that we are here and remembering the event, I suppose I'll add my two cents worth.
9/11 happened almost to the day a year after the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. I remember the feeling of triumph, goodwill and international brotherhood the Games achieved. The feeling that we led the world. That all eyes were upon us and we made a statement. That this millennium would start out on the best possible note with harmony among the races and the special bonds of teamwork and individual achievement that the world's greatest sporting event brings. I really did think that all the elements had been put in place for great years ahead.
A year later as those planes streaked across a clear blue sky and into the World Trade Center those hopes were dashed. The optimism and achievement in the wake of the Sydney Olympics were replaced by fear, anger, bewilderment and a deep sense of betrayal. White powder scares, punitive security at airports, border protection alerts, more innocent people being murdered for no reason. Just because followers of a deviant religion wanted to make a statement. They didn't do it for any reason, they didn't do it to advance their cause financially, territorially or spiritually, they did it because they could.
Almost ten years later the US and its allies hit back. The leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin laden was executed on a day of joy that cheered the most flint of heart. The images of muslims celebrating in the streets after the 9/11 attacks were replaced with celebrations that good had finally triumphed over evil. That the evil muslims would never win. And they didn't. And they can't.
As we go about our daily lives we should never forget the victims of terrorism, 9/11 in particular. We won't forget and we will never forgive. Not ever.
