Fire-fighters’ Reserve Opening
Saturday 26 October 2002
There
are some events where ultimately words simply fail
us.
The
terror attack on the New York Trade Centre and it's
terrible toll on people, on trust, on tolerance and
on hope is one such event.
Every
attempt to speak to this event manages to leave me
feeling that our normally rich language lacks the
words to fully express our feelings about it.
I'm
not one of the people that has managed to see this
terrible event as a simple case of one group attacking
another nation. It is not that simple.
It
was an act of war, not only toward America, it was
an act of war toward civilisation and the emerging
reality of our world community. There were many nationalities
and faiths working in those buildings that day. There
were also many members of our world community that
lost their lives that day.
It
is simplistic, sad and far short of honest to diminish
those deaths in any way by reducing the event to some
sort of Old Testament punishment on New York for being
perhaps the most truly open global city on the planet.
It
was an act of war on those of us everywhere who believe
that tolerance, acceptance and inclusion are the way
of living your life and of showing faith that has
substance.
I
have said before publicly that I believe ultimately
the attack failed as it drew most of us closer to
our common humanity and sense of loss.
It
was also another event where the redeeming feature
came from the countless acts of sacrifice and heroism
from many of those thrown onto the stage of this disaster.
Famously
for Fire-fighter's, it was a show of courage and tenacity
that reminded us all of the best that we have in the
way of potential.
This
reserve will hopefully provide us all with a continuing
reminder that in calamity we can also often find courage,
nobility and strength.
It is a reminder of the best we can be, when faced
with the worst.
My
thanks to New York City and our sponsors here for
helping us to set up this tribute to the best of civilisation
at the worst of times.
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