Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Rankin Inlet (Sep 26/01) - Shock waves from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States reached all the way to the Kivalliq.
There was the anxiety of those with family in the affected areas, the grief of those who knew victims, and the pain of those with deep roots to America.
 Jim Shirley: It was an institution being attacked. A way of life. |
Shirley was visiting friends in Brooklyn, N.Y., on the fateful morning of Sept. 11.
In an exclusive interview with Kivalliq News, Shirley talked about the attacks.
"I was about three kilometres or so away from the World Trade Center when the event happened and I could see it from where I was," said Shirley.
"They were very tall buildings, as everyone knows, as we could see the smoke and the chaos clearly."
Shirley said the best word to describe the events of Sept. 11 in New York by those who witnessed them is "surreal."
He said it was impossible to fathom exactly what was happening as you watched the events unfold.
"It took days for a lot of people to come to terms with what had happened. It was just so unbelievable that these two huge buildings could be destroyed so quickly," he said.
"A lot of people were shocked at it and then it strikes home that it's not just a building -- there were people in there.
"It was a profound and extremely sad event for people in the city."
The historical event most often compared to the attacks was Pearl Harbour.
Yet, unlike that tragic day almost 60 years ago, there was no identifiable villain. The evil remained deeply hidden.
"People have to be extremely careful how they deal with this event," said Shirley.
"There's a lot of potential for a very destructive aftermath from this and people are becoming aware of that.
"These weren't just buildings that were attacked. It was an institution being attacked. A way of life."
A quiet resolve
As images of firefighters, police officers and rescue workers went out to the world, the definition of a hero was redefined.
The staggering death toll brought forward a new level of respect for emergency services personnel.
Shirley said the attacks have affected every level of life in the city. Almost everyone has a story of great loss they've had to overcome.
"I was talking with someone who works with Aon Reed Stenhouse in Yellowknife. That company had a major office in the World Trade Center and 1,100 people were missing. The human cost of this attack is just staggering."
As for feelings in American today, Shirley stopped short at using the word anger.
"Pain and quiet resolve is a more apt description than anger.
"People here know anger only gets you so far and then it brings more problems your way," he said.
"You have to use intelligence and tactical thinking in a situation like this."
