Mamma Kerr

Today, thousands gathered in New York in a square near Ground Zero to pay tribute to the victim of the 9/11 terror attack on the eighth anniversary of the atrocities.

Rememberence ceremonies have been held all over the US, with moments of silence being observed at each of the three sites, where victims perished.

Like many people around the World, I can vividly recollect finding out about the initial strike on the World Trade Centre on 11th September 2001. 

I was working in Glasgow at the time, and I remember my supervisor receiving a phonecall from a friend about the first plane striking the Tower.

“An aeroplane has crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York!”

“What!?!”

“A plane has crashed into the World Trade Centre!”

“How could that happen?  Was it a passenger plane?  What was it doing flying near the building?”

“I don’t know.”

Soon, the whole building was gripped by the horrific events as they unfolded.  People flocked to the Directors’ offices to watch the live news feeds on television.

Just as in millions of offices and homes across the globe, we went through many emotions: shock, fear, sadness, anger.

Almost six years later, I was caught up in another terror attack.  On 30th June 2007, my family and I had just arrived home from a lovely holiday in Menorca, when two terrorists crashed a jeep, loaded with petrol cannisters into Glasgow Airport’s terminal buidling.  My wondeful husband  was one of a band of civilians who bravely intervened and helped to thwart the terrorists in their attempts to cause carnage.  He was injured in the fracas and spent several days in hospital.

Even though the Glasgow attack was on a far smaller scale than the 9/11 atrocities, when you find yourself caught up in such an event, when it involves your own family and a vicious attack on your home town, it is truly terrifying.  I can only begin to appreciate what the 9/11 victims and their families went through.

These acts of atrocity, along with several others in recent years, have changed my perception of the World forever.  As a result of these acts, I am a little more cynical, a little more wary, and all the more fearful of the World in which my daughters are growing up in.

However, I have to try to twist my perspective and see things from another angle.  These events have not simply demonstrated the scale of evil that man is capable of.  These acts have also demonstrated how great the human spirit is:  the brave acts conducted by emergency services and members of the public, the great teamwork achieved in the aftermath of the attacks to get the cities up and running and back to normal again.  The defiance of Society to be frightened from carrying on, to continue travelling and gathering in public places.

It is this human spirit, which gives me hope for the future, hope for the continued freedom and democracy for my daughters, my future grandchildren and their future grandchildren.  Without this hope, the World would be a very bleak place.