Watching an exclusive 4 minute video of the demolition of the Twin Towers for the first time today, made me fully appreciate the symbolic message Al-Qaeda were sending to the Western world.
Symbolic towers
The Twin towers signified Capitalist strength, invincibility and practically speaking, jobs for thousands of Americans.
The United States of America up until this point had always been ‘the top dogs.’ Western ideals would never be shaken and would stand firm against these niggling terrorist minorities.
It was that unquestioned arrogance that Al-Qaeda wanted to shoot down.
‘The untouchables’
There is a particularly memorable shot of a shocked bystander jumping backwards as he tries to take in the picture before him.
A tower crashes to the floor as if it was made from soft sand.
Smoke, debris and dust flow out of the remaining tower, workers smothered in smoke, appear disorientated from the wreckage.
A police officer screams into the distance, seemingly directionless and at a loss at what to do.
Minutes earlier, America, the Superpower, might have felt untouchable. Watching it for the first time made me realise how much this resource should be free and accessible on a video site for all to see. The shocking, surreal rushes hit the point home with real force.
