More than 3,000 innocent people lost their lives as the planes slammed into their targets. And the United States of America lost its innocence because this was the first time that its citizens had been attacked on home soil. The consequences of these unimaginable acts were huge. The US, together with Great Britain, invaded Iraq, using that country’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, as a surrogate for the Osama Bin Laden, the self-proclaimed leader of Al Qaida, the fanatical Islamic organization that claimed responsibility for 9/11. The US subsequently led a coalition into Afghanistan which sparked a war that is still going strong. Security at airports and other sensitive places was almost draconically ramped up. And pretty much the entire international political agenda has been dominated by the fall out of these terrible events.
I would argue that the worst consequence of all has been the backlash against Islam, with mad fanatics responsible for doing untold harm to the reputation of this great religion. In spite of millions of ordinary Muslims sharing everyone else’s outrage against these attacks, I find all-to-many people blaming the religion and its followers. Let it be known that your grandfather does not share these views. I know many Muslims, have been to their homes, attended weddings and work with them on a daily basis. They are decent people who observe a faith that is the closest aligned of all to Judaism. Mass discrimination against people of a particular creed is absolutely unacceptable. Terrorism strives to destroy civilization. We cannot and must allow them to win by supporting bigotry.
As I write this, some a crazy church pastor in America is threatening to publicly burn copies of the Koran today. Appeals for this not to happen have thankfully come from many opinion leaders, and it looks likely that this despicable act of gross disrespect, which threatens to inflame already-existing tensions, will not now go ahead.
9/11 was one of those events that resulted in us all remembering exactly where we were and what we were doing when the planes struck. I was in Stockholm, speaking at a business ethics conference. When I left the podium, I went to the back of the room to stand with a Danish colleague who whispered in my ear that his son had just called him to say that a plane had struck one of the Twin Towers. It sounded quite unbelievable. I was desperate to get to a television to find out precisely what was going on. The conference closed and he and I ran through torrential rain along the streets of the Swedish capital to his hotel room where we saw flames coming from the top floor windows of the Twin Towers. As we watched on live TV, another plane descended from the bright blue sky and hit the other tower. It was an unbelievable sight. Quite astonishing.
Then we saw both mighty towers collapse. It was as extraordinary as it was horrendous to see. I will never forget it for as long as I live.
It wasn’t for a while until we learnt the cause of these crashes, and that there were two other planes, one which had hit the Pentagon and another that was inflight, apparently heading directly for the White House.
I immediately phoned your grandmother Veronica in London to find out about your father and auntie Rachel who would have been at school at the time. As the horrors in New York played out on live television, there were fears across the world that there would be more attacks. Your father and aunts school closed early with everyone told to go home. It wasn’t long before I remember speaking to them both on the phone. With such tension and fear, I was so relieved to hear their voices and to learn that they were safe.
The United States closed it airspace for some days. But I am proud to say that I was flew on American Airlines first transatlantic flight from London back to the US, actually to Chicago for a meeting with a coal company just days after the attacks. The airports in the US were completely deserted. Most people were still fearful of flying. I was absolutely determined to play my small part in ensuring that life returned to normal as soon as possible. I felt so badly for the American people and wanted to show my solidarity.
I remember the captain making his welcome announcement, paying tribute to his colleagues who had perished on those doomed American Airlines planes and stating that he was piloting this flight in their memory. When I landed in America there were stars and stripes flags festooned throughout the airport with the immigration and customs officials all wearing patriotic badges. There was a massive outpouring of pride for the United States.
After Chicago, I went to New York the weekend immediately following 9/11. I went down to Lower Manhattan to the site where the Twin Towers once stood to see the still-smoldering remains. It has been named Ground Zero. It was an awful feeling to see and smell the rubble where so many people had been incinerated.
I love New York. It is the birthplace of your father and a city where I have spent some of my happiest days. It is a magnificent city for so many reasons, and I hope to articulate and explain my adoration for the place in future blogs.
It was so sad to see such an important New York landmark wiped out of the skyline. It was like seeing the beautiful teeth of my beloved having been kicked out. It was brutal and depressing.
But the people of New York are resilient and the city picked itself up and is today as great as ever. As always, I can’t wait to get there and walk those bustling streets. I will be staying at the Hilton Millennium which overlooks Ground Zero. It’s still a building site but the monument to those who lost their lives will be completed for the tenth anniversary a year from now.
My flight, AA 107, takes off in half an hour, and I will be in the Big Apple just seven hours from now.
I love New York, and I love you, my dear Yael.
I love New York, and I love you, my dear Yael.
Grandpa Jonathan
London, United Kingdom
