This atrocity exposes the wilful self-delusion of western liberals who want to believe that humanity is essentially good

The events of September 11 dealt a terrible blow to our self-perception as western liberals. We always suspected that we, the postwar generations, were peculiarly privileged but also soft and untested.

Now we have witnessed an act of terror which has quite literally first terrified and then pulverised 6,000 people in front of our eyes. This experience has dealt a grave psychological blow to our liberal belief system.

Full article: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/sep/25/september11.usa5