# World reaction, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 11, 2001, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877 "2001-09-11T16:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/141 "2001-09-14T15:27:14Z")
Many people have friends in other countries who are not Dopers. Perhaps you would like to send them links to this page so that they can read our expressions of gratitude? And they can pass the word to others (maybe even their governments?) that their thoughts are appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/142 "2001-09-14T15:39:07Z")
I’m so touched by all of the words of support and condolence from around the world. Seeing our anthem played outside Buckingham Palace was heart rending. Thank you, thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/143 "2001-09-14T16:35:13Z")
The BBC has a touching article on the world’s reaction [here](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1543000/1543745.stm) In the midst of the deep pain I am feeling today, I am immensely grateful to all of you who have posted here, and to everyone who stands with us in sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/144 "2001-09-14T16:57:17Z")
[http://pub13.ezboard.com/fthesafehouseoutsidenorrath.showMessage?topicID=3766.topic](http://pub13.ezboard.com/fthesafehouseoutsidenorrath.showMessage?topicID=3766.topic) more reactions, mostly from germany (the op is german) wow ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/145 "2001-09-14T17:28:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Critical1 \* > \*\*[http://pub13.ezboard.com/fthesafehouseoutsidenorrath.showMessage?topicID=3766.topic](http://pub13.ezboard.com/fthesafehouseoutsidenorrath.showMessage?topicID=3766.topic) > > more reactions, mostly from germany (the op is german) > > wow \*\* What an incredible series of pictures. Thank you, Critical1. ---
**Author:** ![DarbyV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@DarbyV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarbyV)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/146 "2001-09-14T18:55:09Z")
I am speechless after those pictures. Thank You Critical. Thank You so much. I really Love this thread. ---
**Author:** ![daffodil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@daffodil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffodil)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/147 "2001-09-15T04:19:06Z")
I saw and participated in the three minutes of silence. The \*whole \* Dutch government was in the Hague, laying flowers by the Americam Embassy. The Dam-square [the bussiest place in Amsterdam] was still. All public transport; trains, busses and trams stopped. Even the cars on the highway stopped. It was weird and I’m Impressed. \*Yesterday morning we went to Schiphol = Amsterdam Airport, to see if we could offer accomodations for the stranded Americans there. We were noy the only ones! I was pleased to hear that all stranded passengers are being brought to Ermelo, a place in the middle of Holland, Where they can eat and sleep and where busses are ready to take them to the airport as soon as possible.\* Bless you Americans ---
**Author:** ![daffodil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@daffodil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffodil)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/148 "2001-09-15T04:22:43Z")
some spelling mistakes. Americam=American noy=not. I’m tired. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/149 "2001-09-15T05:09:41Z")
We are all part of one world, one tiny speck of stardust endlessly traversing its path through the universe. Despite differences in countries and flags and creeds and language – we are all one species under the sun. As **Apollyon** wrote: we are all family. American dopers have welcomed those of us from other lands with open arms, shared smiles, and a camaderie seldom seen but always valued in this busy, sometimes ruthless world. When the dreadful happens – our arms are open to you all. We are all family. We are all family. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/150 "2001-09-15T06:25:26Z")
**Canada** A few random notes. Not much work got done in our offices Tuesday - most offices had at least one t.v. on, and people would drift in and out, watching as much as they could stomach. We couldn’t concentrate very much on our work - we were thinking about the terror and the evil that had been unleashed on our American friends. On Tuesday night, the Beloved and I did about the only thing we could think of to help - went to the local blood bank. It was packed, with a 2 hour waiting list. It normally closes at 8 p.m. and opens at 8 in the morning. When we went the next day and got in, we found out that the volunteers and staff had kept it open until 11 p.m. the night before, and came back to open at 7 a.m. in the morning. Being reticent Canadians, no-one really talked too much about the day before, but we didn’t have to - we all knew that we were there because of this horrible tragedy, and determined to do something. Local firefighters have been asking for permission to go to New York, on their own time and without pay, to help. Some of Canada’s top country music people were in Calgary to attend the Canadian country music awards. Wednesday night, they put on an impromptu benefit concert, to raise money for the Canadian Red Cross to send to the U.S. Red Cross. Nearly every flag I’ve seen the past few days has been flying at half-mast. The federal and provincial governments have directed it on government buildings, and private citizens and businesses are just doing it. The first night, churches all over my city were having prayer services for the immediate victims and to pray for the U.S. The Premier of Saskatchewan led a mourning service at the Legislature today (he’s a United Church minister in his spare time) - it was packed. Books of condolence are open for signing, and will be sent to the U.S. Ambassador. On Parliament Hill in Ottawa, about 70,000 people came to a memorial service today. As others have noted, NATO has invoked Article V - Canada was one of the countries that brought the motion forward, along with the UK and Germany. On Wednesday, the lead editorial in the _Ottawa Citizen_ closed with: “Today, we are all Americans.” You guys are our neighbours and friends. We share so so much heritage. We may have our disagreements from time to time, but they’re the kind of disagreements that some other countries would love to have: cross-border pollution, tarifs and subsidies, things like that. We don’t have border wars, racial violence, ethnic strife. And we settle our neighbourly disputes as good neighbours should - by treaties, by negotiations, by working together. When something like this happens, those disputes go on the back burner. The common theme I’ve heard from my fellow citizens over the past four days has been rage and disgust at those who did this, great sympathy for our American friends, and a firm resolve to help, any way we can. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/151 "2001-09-15T06:38:29Z")
One more American, one more thank you. We all have something that makes us cry. This was mine. > [@](#): > > The queue of people waiting to sign the condolences book at the US embassy in Dublin on Friday morning was about 1.5 kilometres long. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid\_1543000/1543745.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1543000/1543745.stm) ---
**Author:** ![Osakadave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f07891/32.png) [@Osakadave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osakadave)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/152 "2001-09-15T09:54:29Z")
I too cried upon seeing/hearing the Coldstream Gaurds play the Star Spangeled Banner. Latest reports are 24 Japanese missing. The US embassy and consulates have reopened. Tokyo Governer Ishihara has returned and (for once) had good words to say about the US. [http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010915/wl/attack\_japan\_ishihara\_dc\_1.html](http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010915/wl/attack_japan_ishihara_dc_1.html) The politicians are doing what they typically do here in these situations - running around like headless chickens, wringing their hands, and doing little of substance. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![daffodil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@daffodil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffodil)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/153 "2001-09-15T13:17:57Z")
\*If I may; This is the statement made by our Prime-Minister. [just to show you that not \* some \* Dutch, feel like I feel, but all. \* Statement made by Prime Minister Wim Kok in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States of America House of Representatives, Wednesday 12 September 2001 (13.00 hours) Madam President, We are appalled and horrified at the indescribable catastrophe that has befallen the people of America. America is in mourning. And we mourn in sympathy. The abhorrent acts of pathological terrorists have taken the lives of thousands of innocent people. People at work in their offices, people out on the streets, the passengers and crews of aircraft were all among the victims of dastardly attacks. And for many it must have been an agonising ordeal. Many firefighters, police officers, rescue workers and others who tried to render assistance paid the ultimate price for their selfless efforts to save their fellow human beings. The blow struck at the very heart of America, economically and financially, in political and military terms, but above all, in the human suffering it has caused. Ties of blood and ties of friendship were destroyed in a single instant. The Dutch government has sent a telegram expressing its profound sympathy to the American government, to the American people as a whole, and especially all who lost their loved ones or are still plagued by uncertainty about their fate. Last night in an emergency cabinet meeting we shared our feelings on this tragedy. We would like to express our profound concern and our sympathy and solidarity with the people of America in these appalling circumstances. Now that fundamental values we all cherish have been trampled upon with the most savage disregard, we can see and feel all the more clearly just how important they are. In the face of yesterday’s disastrous events, we have no option but to redouble our efforts to stamp out every form of terrorism, whether national or international. Democratic forces throughout the world must join together to do so. The fight against terrorism is a higher priority than ever. But this is not the time to discuss these matters in detail. I can assure you that the Dutch government and its European partners are willing to assist the United States in every way possible. And I can assure you that the international community will not rest until the perpetrators of these unconscionable deeds have been found and brought to justice. The Netherlands has tightened up its own security to protect the safety of the nation. We have also opened up helplines for the many people who need information or help of any kind in the wake of this disaster. I need not mention that the Dutch government is willing to render whatever assistance we can to the US administration. This afternoon, the foreign ministers of the EU member states will be meeting in an emergency session to underscore the Union’s solidarity with the United States. Madam President, We have great respect for the dignity with which President Bush has responded, clearly aware of America’s responsibility in the world. We share the sentiments expressed by the American government: our confidence in the values of freedom, democracy and justice remains unshaken, and we shall not allow ourselves to be led by fear. The pillars of democratic government and the rule of law can withstand even the most brutal terrorist attacks. The Netherlands and the United States share the same basic values. In these difficult times and in the days to come, we are one with our American friends. Yesterday’s devastating attacks in the heart of America – not far from the spot on which our forebears laid the foundations for present-day New York – have filled us with sadness and grief. We would like to express our condolences and offer a helping hand to those who have to carry on. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with the victims and their loved ones ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/154 "2001-09-15T13:25:08Z")
Last night I watched the coverage of the worldwide services and moments of silence and cired harder than I have since this started. Thank you. Everyone. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/155 "2001-09-15T19:54:25Z")
A few hours ago I watched a televised Scottish football game, Dundee v Celtic (my team). The players wore black armbands and there was a minute’s silence before kickoff. During the silence the camera panned around the ground and showed numerous fans holding up American flags (either on their own or sewed together with Irish or Scottish flags). And there was one banner making reference to Celtic’s unofficial theme song - “America: You’ll Never Walk Alone”. I’ll see if I can find pictures anywhere on the web - it was really beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/156 "2001-09-15T20:51:33Z")
Here’s the text of PM Chrétien’s speech at the [National Day of Mourning](http://pm.gc.ca/newsroom.asp?Language=E&page=newsroom) > [@](#): > > \*\*Address by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien on the occasion of the National Day of Mourning in Canada in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States September 14, 2001 > > Ottawa, Ontario\*\* > > Mr. Ambassador. > > You have assembled before you, here on Parliament Hill and right across Canada, a people united in outrage, in grief, in compassion, and in resolve. A people of every faith and nationality to be found on earth. > > A people who, as a result of the atrocity committed against the United States on September 11, 2001, feel not only like neighbours. But like family. > > At a time like this, words fail us. We reel before the blunt and terrible reality of the evil we have just witnessed. We cannot stop the tears of grief. We cannot bring back lost wives and husbands. Sons and daughters. American citizens, Canadian citizens, citizens from all over the world. We cannot restore futures that have been cut terribly short. > > At a time like this, the only saving grace is our common humanity and decency. At a time like this, it is our feelings, our prayers and our actions that count. > > By their outpouring of concern, sympathy and help, the feelings and actions of Canadians have been clear. And, even as we grieve our own losses, the message they send to the American people is equally clear. > > Do not despair. You are not alone. We are with you. The whole world is with you. > > The great Martin Luther King, in describing times of trial and tribulation, once said that: _“In the end, it is not the words of your enemies that you remember, it is the silence of your friends.”_ > > Mr. Ambassador, as your fellow Americans grieve and rebuild, there will be no silence from Canada. > > Our friendship has no limit. > > Generation after generation, we have travelled many difficult miles together. Side by side, we have lived through many dark times. Always firm in our shared resolve to vanquish any threat to freedom and justice. > > And together, with our allies, we will defy and defeat the threat that terrorism poses to all civilized nations. > > Mr. Ambassador, we will be with the United States every step of the way. As friends. As neighbours. As family. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/157 "2001-09-15T21:09:10Z")
This is the second time I’ve posted to this thread, and I can’t begin to express what I feel regarding the outpouring of support. My tears just don’t seem to want to stop. Thank you all. I feel more like a world citizen than ever before. America will do her damndest to make sure this never happens again anywhere. Fellow citizens, we won’t let you down. ---
**Author:** ![south333](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@south333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/south333)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/158 "2001-09-15T21:25:20Z")
I haven’t cried all week. Today, I cried. As I read this thread and listened to how much all the other countries cared, I cried. Luckily for me, my family and friends do not live in NY and do not work in the Pentagon. On Tuesday, as we watched the attacks during class, it seemed like a scene out of a movie instead of the news. I am very glad to hear that Americans aren’t the only ones upset about what happened. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apollyon \* > {snip} > You can be big and blustering, and we certainly don’t agree with you on everything… but dammit, you’re family. \*\* This really got me. Thank you. God bless all of you! ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877/159 "2001-09-15T23:05:48Z")
[Here](http://www.thehuddle.co.uk/pictures.htm) are some pictures from the game I mentioned above. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-reaction-anyone/80877.md?page=7)