"*SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) – The United States flag is flying at full mast atop the Sydney Harbor Bridge for the first-ever time as an Australian tribute to those killed and affected by the September 11 attacks.
The flag was raised at midnight on the Sydney landmark and on Monday morning was saluted by a group of New York City emergency workers who had climbed the 134 meter high (415 feet) arch of the bridge to mark the six-month anniversary of the attacks.*"
A touching gesture indeed. As an American, I also want to say thank you to Australians and all others who have supported us in our time of grief and healing.
On last night’s TV news were shots of the group of twenty or so visiting NYPD, FDNY etc workers, being received very warmly here.
They climbed the Harbour Bridge together (it’s a regular activity - you go in groups, with safety harnesses) and a spectacular helicopter shot showed them almost at the summit, with both the Oz and US flags at half mast.
The support of the international community since September 11 really has meant a lot to me and other Americans. My heartfelt thanks to Australia and all of you.
reprise, the same thing occured to me. I’ll look into it.
While I’m posting this, I’d just like to add to my previous post that when the NYPD and FDNY blokes walked out of customs and into the arrivals concourse at Sydney airport, and people saw them and broke into spontaneous applause, the Americans were genuinely surprised! That is a true measure of the character of these men.
Not attempting to besmirch anyone’s character here, but speaking of an American, its always surprising when we’re referred to as something other than some variation of “Yankee Imperialist Pig-Dogs.”
That being said, I find the reactions of people from other countries to what happened on 9/11, the vast out-pourings of sympathy and support, to be as moving as the events of the day that inspired them.
We Americans owe the world a great debt because its been your support that has given us the courage to go on.
