Given the type of building the WTC was we can expect many nationalities among those lost (latest estimates of British casualties are currently up to 500+).
Those who had to cancel their transatlantic flights are being housed in local government buildings near Heathrow airport and people who live nearby are housing as many as they can. Unfortunately some local hotels have also been accused of profiteering.
Several hundred people (not only Americans) were singing The Stars and Stripes outside Buckingham Palace during the amended Changing of the Guard ceremony today. Numerous church services have been arranged and are being attended by people of many nationalities and faiths - including Muslims.
I think it’s three minutes. It’s at noon CET, at least over here. In any case, Friday has been proclaimend an official day of mourning in the EU.
Latest reports speak of “a few Dutchmen” that are missing in the WTC tragedy. It’s strange, though. I understand that they report that, it’s news to the people over here. And simultaneously, I think the nationality of the victims is kind of irrelevant as well.
I don’t know what thoughts will be going through my head tomorrow at noon. I really don’t. I guess it must be similar to the two minutes of silence we observe on May 4. Or maybe not at all.
I am balling my eyes out for the second time today.
Thank you so much everyone… I don’t even know what to say and its a good thing I can type without looking because I can’t see a damn thing through the tears.
Tuesday I was in disbelief. Yesterday I was digesting it. Today I got botulism
As the news pans out in my right ear I hear that strong military response is guaranteed. Fuck… BILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIVE FINE EVERYDAY WITHOUT KILLING EACH OTHER GOD FUCKING DAMN IT
While the atmosphere on the streets is largely unchanged, the attack has been a shock for all. The black humour and cynicism that is always present when me and my friends discuss global events isn’t there now, so I’m guessing they’re being affected quite a bit by all this as well.
For myself, this has been the first time in many, many years that an emotion has reduced me to tears.
I am in Winnipeg,and I have seen the fields around the airport fill with airplanes being grounded, people finding themselves with no way to reach their destinations, and I for one am totally overwhelmed with what has happened, and fear what will come next. I read the many notes on the message boards here, and I too have difficulty swallowing and tears fill my eyes as I think of those who lost their lives in this senseless tragedy.
I have to turn the tv off simply to allow myself to breathe as I find myself holding my breath as I watch the coverage and the faces of those trying to find missing persons. It is so difficult to come to grips with it all, it is all so incomprehensible. To all those on the boards; thank you for your personal notes and outpouring of love to your fellow dopers. It helps me to see so much caring. My sincere thoughts and prayers go to each and every person touched by this awful nightmare, and to each and every person trying to help another through it. This Canadian is very proud of the manner in which the American people are handling this, and the wonderful human rally I see developing. You should be very proud, each and every one of you!!
Our Prime Minister, John Howard, has said that the ANZUS treaty - which provides that an attack on one signatory will be regarded as an attack on all - will probably be activated. FWIW, the Australian military will probably be involved in any action and, my guess, nobody would say a word against our involvement, even if it turns out to be a decade-long job.
Australian firefighters and emergency workers have offered to fly to the US and help; at fire stations around the country, flags are at half-mast in recognition of the 200-300 firefighters trapped at WTC.
Blood banks have been overwhelmed with volunteers wanting to donate; some of it will be sent to the US to help, if I’m hearing right.
People are laying flowers and lighting candles at US embassies, and signing condolence books; church services are being held in memoriam.
I drove from Melbourne to Warrnambool this morning, and had to pull over for a couple of minutes when I saw this; at Colac, a small town about 200k west of Melbourne, the local high school is flying both the Australian and American flags at half-mast.
If anything good can come from all this, it’s a feeling of shared humanity. Right now I’m very proud to be an American; this thread made me realize how proud I am to be a member of the world community that is willing to fight to uphold freedom.
You’re right, you and Blackclaw and Osakadave and so many others. The whole civilized world suffered from this atrocity. I had a late meeting and stopped at a neighborhood diner; no appetite but needed fuel. Not many people–unusual, that–but every eye was glued to the bar TV running CNN.
They were giving airtime to the hordes of desperate families showing pictures of missing loved ones, hoping someone would recognize them, or had been on such-and-such floor. Mother, father, sister…of every color and accent. Meanwhile the bottom scroll listed statistics on British, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, French–everybody–known dead or still missing.
That’s when it hit home–in all senses. This slaughter happened on American land but we’re happy, unabashed mongrels. Wherever you come from, so did we. You’re part of us. Those scrolling, unnamed, unpictured “foreigners” weren’t just guests on our soil; they were kin. And NONE of them are statistics. Americans are picking through the rubble at ground zero but the tragedy was global.
Veb
(Dazed, incoherent and screws up coding, too. Sigh.)
Parliament was recalled, and sat this morning to discuss the terrorist attack.
Today is an official day of mourning in Europe, and there was a 3 minute silence, in memory of the victims, at 11am British Summer Time. This was soberly observed.
There is a memorial service at St. Pauls at noon, which the Queen will attend. There are many, many thousands of people gathered outside to pay their respects.
And now, some of our newspapers are putting names and faces to those of British origin who are believed to have perished at the World Trade Centre.
Estimates of the number of people in the vicinity of St. Paul’s vary from 15,000 to 30,000.
I am one of the most cynical bastards you could ever wish to meet, but the St. Paul’s service opens with the congregation singing The Star-Spangled Banner, and when they finish with:
'Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it wave O’er the land of the free , and the home of the brave!
someone’s eyes around here begin to water more than somewhat, and I check my contact lenses, but it seems there is no problem with these lenses, and I am just welling up inside.
Just noticed yesterday: There are bands of black cloth fluttering from the doorhandles of the subway cars in Hamburg. Every flag is on half staff.
You can’t see the sidewalk in front of the consulate for flowers, candlres and drawings. 20.000 people on the town square observed 5 minutes of silence Thursday. Buses, subways, traffic stopped.
And two of the assholes actually lived here. I can’t type what I think about that - except that I’m happy I never thought about this place as really “home”.
As an American and a New Yorker, I am touched by the outpouring of sympathy and grief here in Leipzig: a long line of people at City Hall to sign the condolence book, flowers at the consulate, minutes of silence, every thinkable recreational activity canceled (even some movie showings).
Knowing this does provide some consolation in otherwise inconsolable times.
There was a multi-denominational service today in the Pro-Cathedral. Catholic, Church of Ireland, Church of England, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox. It was beyond words to see how my country has completely shut down. We lost citizens in the attack, but to echo previous posts, Nationality does not come into play. The International Community are mourning every life lost.
The books of condolences are full, the U.S.embassy’s entrance is a sea of flowers.
In the midst of the tragedy, it is gladening to see the world pull together over this.
Things are returning to normal slowly. I’m still getting lots of sympathy. My biggest tears were at watching the Star Spangeled Banner being played at Buckingham Palace. On a note of good news, the report of 100 misssing Japanese seems to have been wrong - it’s abot 22 or so.
