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Let's never go back to the arena of hate
The September 11th attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington numbed the senses. I don't care about the causes, the philosophies, the politics or the religious connections. I really don't care. There is absolutely nothing in this world - or the next - that can justify an attack that focusses so directly on the killing of civilians in such a blatantly cruel manner. Yes, it is an unfortunate reality that in times of war, when nations throw bullets and bombs at each other, civilians do get caught in the cross-fire. That is one of the many, many tragedies of war - and it is wrong. However, when civilians become the opening target for the theatre of war, that is a different issue. All those attacks served to do was to accent the 'terror' in the word 'terrorist'.
It took a long time to sink in but a few days after, I started thinking of how far we have advanced in South Africa. These thoughts were spurred by the absolute terror of my young daughter who needed the reassurance that this was not going to happen in South Africa. I may have lied to her in answering that it wouldn't. I don't know. Time will tell. However, her peace of mind overrode by far any moral conscience of sticking to exact truth. I also said to her that one of the reason such incidents won't happen in South Africa is because we have got through the hate that was demonstrated in that awful incident where those planes were piloted by hate. Oh yes, there was hate in South Africa in the past and perhaps there still is in incidences of crime where criminals attack and mutilate. Is that hate or is that psychotic disorder? Crime aside, there is no national feeling of hate between races linked to politics or religion.
The path we have travelled in South Africa since 1994 has been one of reconciliation where all races have reached out to touch the hands of people who - by law - they were not allowed to touch under the previous apartheid system. South Africans from all race groups have felt the warmth of reconciliation. We have felt the warmth of a smile across a room from a person who was previously barred from even entering that room. We have a lot to be proud of and it is because we have come so far in our spirit of reaching out to each other that we can look at an incident like what happened in America and say: We do not went to go back to an arena where hatred permeates our lives. It scares our children so much and is a road to nowhere.
In light of the attacks and the sudden deaths of those over 5 000 civilians who left their homes and families that morning just to go out and earn a living, I put forward some thoughts sent to me by a friend which, given the current circumstances, I think are apt.
Do not keep anything for a 'special occasion'. Every day you live is a special occasion.
Use your crystal glasses. Do not save them for that 'special' dinner.
And do not keep your best perfume only for a 'special occasion. Use it when you feel you want to.
Spend more time with your family, eat your favourite food, visit the place you love.
Remove from your vocabulary phrases like "one of these days" and "someday".
Let's write that letter we thought of writing 'one of these days".
Tell your family and friends how much you love them.
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life.
Every day, hour and minute are special.
For you don't know if it will be your last.
Cover story and design
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month's cover was designed by FleetWatch
artist Alex Groen from two photographs. His brief from the
Editor was to symbolically depict for our readers the
spirit of the American truckers following the attacks
against the United States. When the whole country came to
a halt - including all airlines whose planes were grounded
for the first time in America's history - American
truckers opened their hearts by hauling donations for the
victims in the stricken areas and generally keeping the
wheels of the economy rolling.
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The background
photograph shows smoke billowing from one of the towers of
the World Trade Center in New York while flames and debris
explode from the second tower as the second hijacked
airplane hits it. (Photograph by AP Photo/Cho So Chewing).
Inset over the scene of disaster is trucker Kevin Marino
of Kingman, Arizona, displaying an inflatable bat donning
the red, white and blue along with the American flag he
hangs proudly from the side mirror. The photograph was
sourced by FleetWatch from Jeff Malet
in Los Angeles.
The cover story itself focusses on a window of time in the few weeks immediately following the attacks. By the time you read this, America - along with its Nato allies - may well have struck back at the Taliban. However, that will be another story. The story here highlights an industry sector which came to the aid of America in its time of need. It is not about politics, it is not about beliefs. It is about an industry sector which put the needs of a nation above its own. It also serves to show that, just as the trucking industry plays a vital role in times of peace, so too does it play that role in times of crisis. Without doubt, a nation's trucking industry is a nation's backbone.
I apologise for having had to put on hold some stories which were scheduled for this edition due to the special feature on the attacks. We will feature them in future editions.
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Patrick O'Leary
Managing Editor
FleetWatch
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