London Calling

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blueyedpoet

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This really is not meant to be the instigation of a mean spiritied debate, but I have noticed that my country - America - is rather apathetic when it comes to terrorist attacks in countries other than Iraq - for the time being - and the US. To all those in the UK tonight, please know that there are many of us who are praying, hoping, thinking for the best. I am so sorry that these terrible things happened.
(For the records mods, I realize this could've been posted in another thread about the tragedy, but I wanted this to stand alone.)
 
Thankyou very much, as an Englishwoman I appreciate your kind thoughts and I'm certain all of us here do. Today, I've found that everyone has been really supportive, in general.

I wanted to post a similar message earlier, but didn't, as I didn't want to upset anyone. Obviously, I still don't want to upset anyone! This is something I've been thinking about for years, and I think it needs saying. It is a very sensitive subject so I shall tread carefully and hope for the best. :reject:

I remember that immediately after 9/11, BBC1 held a UK Question Time special, to discuss the tragedy and it's aftermath. I remember it becoming horrible. Some decided to choose that particular day, bang on about the US attitude to the Middle East. I recognise the value of political debate, but bloody hell - the 'discussion' descended into a nasty little mess. The American ambassador to London was literally sat there in tears. I felt so sick, I switched it off in disgust.

I just wanted to say that I've spoken to lots of people from around the world today (something I am lucky enough to do regularly, as it is partof my job). Everyone was supportive and kind. I noticed, in particular, that my contacts in the States were particularly sympathetic - not one of them had anything negative to say. It is a shame that we English don't always show the same respect to other nations.

I don't mean to open old wounds so I do apologise of this has upset anyone.
 
blueyedpoet said:

(For the records mods, I realize this could've been posted in another thread about the tragedy, but I wanted this to stand alone.)
That seems really sensible to me - I didn't want to put my last post in the big thread at all. Too much hurt all round.
 
Well put sally :hug:

It's sad that within hours people were already starting to explain how Blair (or Bush) was to blame...I admit I got into the politics a little in the other thread too.

Well for the last time- thinking of all you Brits, and now I'm off to bed :hug:
 
I don't believe we're apathetic. I believe our frenzied media coverage is wholly dependent on how good the video footage is. Like it or not, 9/11 had probably the best video footage since the Vietnam War.

However, while the news networks spent this morning with non-stop coverage of London's bombings, the video footage became limited and highly repetitive. Hence, news lost interest rather early on for that reason alone.

But I don't think that our fickle news networks should be the primary determinant of how much America cares or not.

Melon
 
I haven't seen any apathy. Ever since I woke up this morning I've seen extensive coverage, all my clients today were talking about it, I got my haircut and they were all talking about it...

I don't know how the government will react, but the people care.
 
melon said:

But I don't think that our fickle news networks should be the primary determinant of how much America cares or not.

Melon

I agree. Just look at the outpouring of concern and caring in our little FYM community.

The news coverage is ridiculous as expected. Each network named the coverage things like "A Day in Terror" and gave it its own theme song.
 
I agree also! The responses from our american friends have been fantastic!

I also had to raise my eyebrow at the news coverrage from the american media. One news program blamed Britain's "liberal" policy on immigration as the cause for this.
 
joyfulgirl said:

The news coverage is ridiculous as expected. Each network named the coverage things like "A Day in Terror" and gave it its own theme song.

Fox, CNN etc are in the business of entertainment, not news.
 
I've obviously been a bit wrong...i suppose i was worried that London would get emotionally shafted like Madrid. Nevertheless, I have been impressed with some of the media coverage and at least the love shared in FYM.
When i studied in London for four months I really tried to adapt and become a Londoner. I have so much respect for the way London has handled this.
 
BonoVoxSupastar said:
I haven't seen any apathy. Ever since I woke up this morning I've seen extensive coverage, all my clients today were talking about it, I got my haircut and they were all talking about it...

I don't know how the government will react, but the people care.

I agree however NBC's Today show covered the bombings in London while ABC and CBS and the local FOX channel stayed with their local programming. That disappointed me. BBC America waited until 10AM to air news coverage from England. :slant:
 
I don't feel like people have been apathetic. They care. I didn't watch any news coverage of the thing because I was working and out in other places, but I'm not surprised it was trite and degenerated into name-calling and finger-pointing. That's our media, and why I never watch television news these days.
 
i don't think coverage has been apathetic at all, and i think everyone's greatly concerned, not least because it's stated over and over and over in the media: the UK is the USA's strongest ally, our media *adores* Tony Blair, there's often mention of the "special relationship," and there are so many cultural similarities and crossovers (Paltrow/Martin, Madonna/Ritchie, and back to Burton/Taylor, just to name the rather odd but consistent pairing of American women and British men). i remember after 9-11 a reporter quickly interviewed Margaret Thatcher, and she said something to the effect of, "we are essentially the same people." and i think that's true. while i never lived there, fully, i've spent months in the UK, and found it very easy to adapt to the rhythms and norms of everyday life. in fact, i find life in, say, California to be more foreign to me than in the UK. i imagine anyone from the UK would find it fairly easy to live in the Northestern Corridor of the US as well.

this wasn't another 9-11, both in spectacle and scale, as well as (mercifully) the death toll. hence, the media coverage won't be as frenzied or as long lasting. also, there was the sense that with 9-11, a new era had dawned upon us and this was something totally new (which it was, and wasn't), and the London bombings, and Madrid, and Bali, etc., are all now much more expected, as opposed to 9-11 which literally came out of the blue.

not that one is better or worse than the other. both attacks have done their job -- to terrorize. one was simply far, far more spectacular than the other, as Melon pointed out.

and this American feels for you. and a bombing in London felt almost as near and personal as a bombing in New York would have felt.
 
i will say this... the london bombings have gotten alot more attention than the madrid bombings here in the US... maybe that's because i am a teacher on summer vacation with nothing to do except watch the news.:wave:
 
oh yeah... i have said this in a few other threads... we are pulling for you here in the US. and never give into the terrorists, that is what they want. i hope all is well with all of you.
 
Yeah, all the people I know here in the U.S. are definitely concerned for you guys and are shocked at what's happened, too. I saw bits of the coverage on the news last night, and it just depressed me, it was just so weird.

Yeah, here's another American who sends :hug:s to you all over there-definitely thinking of you guys and everything. And I'll also definitely agree with how you guys seem to be handling all this-quite a mature response from what I've seen and heard. Way to go :up:. That's the way to do it.

Angela
 
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