EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 28

January 2002

SEPTEMBER 11
– THE DAY THE WORLD STOOD STILL

Elaine Kennedy is part of the T.H.O.M.A.S. Team.

The London Eye is an impressive piece of engineering. This gigantic, rotating bicycle wheel allows those seated in each glass capsule, a splendid view of London. The platform at the bottom is long and curved so that as the wheel turns very slowly, it never needs to stop. So, you slip on, slowly discover the different sites as they unfold before you, then just slip off again.

Sitting on a park bench, I watched this continuous process and it struck me how much life is like this wheel! Several events lately have endorsed that thought. Life grinds on regardless and we slip in at birth, go round once taking in all we can and slip out at death leaving new passengers to take up where we left off, in the same old way, relentlessly. As we slip onto the wheel of life, we hope to complete a full revolution, but for some of us, the revolution is of a greatly diminished circumference.

September 11th is our twins’ birthday. In the morning, one of the twins phoned from the city where he works. He said he had been invited to a conference in the World Trade Centre, New York but circumstances had kept him in the office. His next phone call was heartbreaking. He was devastated by the loss of his boss; close friend and several colleagues from the office. My husband and I have taken a long time to get this out of our system; we will never totally do so. For several nights following, I could not close my eyes without seeing my son falling out of a window on the 102nd floor (which is where he would have been), fighting through the air, as we saw people doing on the television. It was for us, a shave too close for comfort.

Soon after the events of September 11th, someone wrote in the Guardian newspaper: “There is only love and oblivion.” It was about the premature and violent deaths of thousands of people and the love generated between the heartbroken relatives and all involved. Being a Christian, I don’t believe that the oblivion is for the dead; I believe it is for the living left behind. I also believe that there are several different types of oblivion: the one where there is no more contact between the living and the dead; the oblivion we are capable of imposing on each other and on ourselves through extreme marginalisation. People can go through life oblivious of their value as a human being because of their treatment at the hands of others.

Much has been said regarding the types of people who were lost in New York. But it is not the fact that most of the dead were successful high-flyers; or young; or fire-fighters; or that the world economy might nose dive without them that matters. What matters is one simple fact: they were people. People. From the highest paid to the homeless person sheltering in a corridor. They were loved by somebody and each was a unique human being. “God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas, but for scars.” – Elbert Hubbard 1859-1915. The oblivion imposed on so many grieving relatives produced a very powerful love which was the unifying essence in all the gatherings of the bereaved, the heartbroken and the rest of us helpless onlookers. When the wheel of misfortune is turning, it takes the healing hand of God to reach out in the shape of our sharing; our consoling and our joining hands.

C.S. Lewis wrote:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken……..The only place outside heaven you can be safe from all dangers and perturbations of love is hell.”

It is very hard to accept, yet oblivion must never be allowed to become an option. We must never marginalise ourselves to such an extreme edge. So we must look out of a different window to enjoy a different view. Sadly, some people slip on the wheels of their lives on a foggy day and others go round with their eyes shut, imagining themselves to be insignificant beings with no motivation but to move when the wheel moves. This state of oblivion to the wonderment of life is inflicted on one generation to the next. Thank God for the many whose enthusiasm is infectious!

After my go on the London Eye, I felt exhilarated that I had done it; that I had seen so many splendid sights. I sat on a bench and watched other people having their turn. I had been there, done it, got the T.Shirt! Yet, like life itself, once round is enough. Beautiful moments, as well as devastating ones should only be lived once. The love they generate lives on, and love is the only antidote to oblivion.

I looked at the young slipping on from the queue, and I wondered how much they will take in; how much they will make of their lives; will circumstances allow them a complete revolution? How much will love and oblivion play a part in their lives? Do they truly appreciate that they are only going round once? And I thanked God for all the love that has made my wheel go round.

 

EDITORS COMMENT

The vast open-air crematorium, with its smouldering mass grave has awoken the world to the horrendous and unspeakable activity of terrorism. We will never forget 11 September 2001 when America became the victim to the violence and intimidation of the terror campaign. On that day I was with a Muslim Colleague preparing an agenda of inter-faith initiatives. We met at 11am and discussed some of the pressing difficulties and issues facing the disaffected Asian youth on the streets of Bradford, Oldham and Burnley. I was asking his advice in preparation for a series of articles on the summer riots. By mid afternoon the whole world was converging on America as the horrifying and abominable events unfolded. Our meeting seemed to change track as we contemplated the disaster,

As a member of the Inter-faith council of Blackburn and Darwen I have a keen interest in multi-faith issues. The Government’s White Paper

“Our Cities and Towns: states: “Faith communities are a distinctive part of the

Voluntary and community sector.”

However, for us to make a significant contribution to urban regeneration and neighbourhood renewal we need to come together and recognise the common issues facing communities across the faith and racial boundaries. Drug abuse, unemployment and prejudice are among the many difficulties facing our communities. A faith-based response can complement the secular strategy and policy. Britain is often called multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi faith. We cannot simply rely upon racial and religious stereotypes we need social interaction for greater integration and inclusion.

I have recently initiated a new sub committee to work with T.H.O.M.A.S. with representatives from the major faith traditions. We can improve the quality of life for local people by working together on agreed projects. For example drug addiction is a growing problem within the Muslim community. Islam has clear and concise rules on the consumption of illegal drugs. Any substance, which causes the clouding of the mind and interferes with rational, thinking, has to be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, the Mosque as the religious and social institution has to face some of these complex issues. With some of my colleagues from the Muslim community I have been invited to share my views and our work. This is only one way in which we can work together.

The international situation in America has shocked and appalled the Muslim community in Britain; at the same time some of my friends and colleagues feel a certain amount of hyporacy that is being played out on the world arena. American foreign policy with Israel, Palestine and Iraq concerns them. The international situation runs the risk of alienating certain groups within Britain if we fail to listen to their issues. The events in the West Bank and Gaza have created a collective punishment on various Palestinians who are innocent and vulnerable. In this edition of Edges David Cockburn gives us a first hand account of the situation. He was out there soon after the American disaster. He speaks about the curfews, which effectively imprisons the Palestinians and how the Jews take their property. This situation needs to be addressed if we are to satisfy the Muslim community here in Britain. If the American and British governments want to avoid turning the war against terror into a clash between the West and Islam, the Arab-Israeli conflict must be resolved.

If we fail to address the Arab-Israeli injustices we run the risk of igniting a conflict situation here in Britain with a disaffected Asian youth culture. What has emerged in many parts of Britain is a ghetto mentality where white and Asian youth cultures do not mix. There is good collaboration and dialogue at a professional level but at grass root level a lot of work still needs to be done. We cannot afford to allow the events in America to create a situation of tension in some of our communities.

 

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