The Day we call 9/11

It was on this morning 15 years ago, that I awoke just after losing my grandmother Fira the day before 09.10.2001 and still in mourning. I was awoken by a phone call from our friends from Israel, asking if everyone is fine and what is going on in New York?

Still groggy from coming back after a viewing the night before, I turned on the television to see one of the world trade center towers in heavy smoke. As I was on the phone, I stopped talking and just listened to the newscast, occasionally translating over the phone. Then a plane came in and hit the second tower, and we all now knew for certain that this wasn't just some accident - it was a concerted terrorist act by a group of people who don't value life, not even their own. 

While calls were made about not singling out Islam, but Islamic extremists/terrorists; the videos on the web, as well as journalist reports, showed Muslim countries' ordinary citizens celebrating and rejoicing at the tragic barbaric act and its aftermath. What's more, we witnessed our own country's Muslim citizens celebrating the destruction and devastation. In this one swept moment, the ordinary Muslim citizens supported their extremists' actions. I'm certain there were other instances, but his one was documented. 

If you want respect and tolerance, the least you can do as a human being is show some respect for human life and a tragedy like that. The most would be denouncing the actions of the terrorists and sending heartfelt condolences to the victims' families. What separates us from terrorists is our conscience that respects each others' lives. A terrorist has no conscience like that, and therefore ceases to be human. When you rejoice at the actions of a terrorist, you are closer to that terrorist than to the rest of humanity.