Anders Gravers at Ground Zero !

It’s been ten years, but it seems like only yesterday. When we meet again in ten years time, it will still seem like only yesterday.
Today is a day of remembrance. A day for peace in this great city of New York.
A day for contemplation.
This is my second visit to New York and what strikes me most is the kindness and courtesy of the people here. New York mirrors America, and the people of New York mirror the American people. There is without doubt an over riding kindness about America and the American people.
However, ten years ago today a great cruelty descended upon New York and America. A cruelty, that, whatever critics might say, was not of America’s making. It was a cruelty alien to American principles, a cruelty born out of hatred for the kindness and freedom Americans aspire to.
Ten years ago today innocent people, not only Americans, were going about their ordinary lives. Some were at work, some on airplanes planning to visit families and friends. Harming no-one.
These poor people fell victim to a long-lasting hatred of kindness and freedom. They fell victim to what can only be described as evil. Truly – it was evil.
And let us remember, there are people here today, who are also victims of that terrible hatred. I speak not only of the families who grieve for the loss of their innocent loved ones. We must also remember those who are suffering terrible illness because of the dust clouds that enveloped New York. Indeed many have died over the past ten years because of illness caused by those evil attacks.
Doctors tell us there may be more people who will suffer illnesses in the future caused by the actions of terrorists whose only motive was malice.
Pray God that those who suffer illness in the future are few.
The images of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers are seared into the minds of decent people.
We must understand that the two hundred people who leapt to their deaths from the towers did not kill themselves.
They had no intentions of hurting themselves or others when they entered those impressive buildings that day. They went into those buildings to earn an honest living. They perhaps just went to meet friends for a coffee. Whatever they did it was not done for cruelty.
Let us be assured that for every person who fell from those buildings – a soul arose.
A magnificent soul.
Let us be assured that for the thousands who perished inside those falling buildings thousands of magnificent souls arose from the clouds of destruction.
Each soul born out of kindness and love. Each soul returned to kindness and love.
Let us remember those innocents who perished in the Pentagon working to keep the free world safe. And those on Flights 11, 77, 93, and 175.
Their souls fly on.
And of course the people of the free world must always remember the first responders. Well at least those who love the free world will always remember the first responders. Unfortunately, some misguided people seem to have forgotten, that some more worthy people gave up their lives to help the unfortunate folk inside the Twin Towers.
Well there are those of us here today who will never forget and we let it be known to the world that we thank the first responders. When we need you – you are there for us and we thank you.
And we say to the families of those first responders who gave up their lives – we love your loved ones as if they were our brothers and sisters.
For that is what they were. And that is what they are. All those innocent people who perished on this day ten years ago. And all those who are suffering the aftermath of that act of cruelty.
Every one of you is our brother and sister in freedom.
And this is it people. Those innocents who died, those who still suffer, and those who remember – we are all united in freedom.
And freedom means kindness not cruelty. Freedom is the right to choose. Democracy provides that right to choose. Democracy is born out of kindness not cruelty towards our fellow man.
The American Constitution enshrines the freedom of religion. It does not enshrine the freedom of any religion to behave cruelly and to smother freedom.
In the middle of the sorrow of all the people we lost we must never forget why the terror attack took place. This happened because attempts are made to impose islamic law in the United States. Terror attacks are islamic tactics to terrify people till they submit to islam.
That’s why we owe the victims and the bereaved not to be terrified. We owe the victims and the bereaved to stop islamic law wherever its cruel face scowls.
Stop the mosque. Stop every attempt to impose islamic law.”
So, as well as remembering the innocents who suffered and lost their lives ten years ago today.
Let’s also honour them.
Let’s honour them by peacefully and firmly fighting for the freedom and democracy we cherish.
Let’s deny those who wish us to surrender to cruelty.
Let’s be kind.
…………………………………………………Let’s roll.