Thank You, Britain and Other Friends!

[U2Bama]

I saw tonight on ABC news where your band played our national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Changing of the Guards today at Buckingham Palace, when "God Save The Queen" is usually played. Here's the story, from www.msnbc.com/news/628163_asp.htm

In London, several hundred people stood somberly outside the gates of Buckingham Palace as the U.S. national anthem was played at a special Changing of the Guard ceremony, followed by a two-minute silence.
International insurer Lloyd?s of London rang a bell salvaged from British Frigate HMS Lutine in the 19th century that traditionally signals news of a missing ship, but has been rung to mark other tragedies, like the death of Princess Diana.


Not to mention all of the other international tributes, such as Russia lowering the flag at the Kremlin to half-staff. Read the whole article; it brought me to tears.

This meant a lot to me, as I am sure it did to all Americans. Thank you for your support and your prayers!

~U2Alabama

 

[Dreamboat Annie]

I agree. We also need to take note that people of all nationalities were lost in the WTC attack.

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"Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage."

 

[The Wanderer]

hopefully there are at least some folks around the world who "get it"

good to hear they weren't demonstrating against US foreign policy and waving peace signs

 

[Julyfly]

Hi U2Bama! Hope all is well with you. I was glad to hear that the SEC reversed their decision about playing this weekend. I just felt it was inappropriate this weekend. Sure, life will go on (& so will football), but it just seemed too soon. What do you think about it?

I, too, read about the special changing of the guards in London and I was so touched by this moving gesture...it's difficult to find words to express how much it means. There is a world full of kind & compassionate people out there and it really helps to know how much they care.

 

[Achtung Bubba]

I'd also like to thank NATO for invoking Article V, which means that an attack on the U.S. will be treated by each NATO member as an attack on that individual nation.

In the best case, this means that the chief powers of the free world will unite in their efforts to decimate terrorists and their protectors.

At the very least, it means that nations like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany will stay out of our way as we do what needs to be done.

Thank you.

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- Achtung Bubba

September, streets capsizing,
Spilling over, down the drain

"You know, by God, I actually pity those poor bastards we're goin' up against. By God, I do. We're not just gonna shoot the bastards, we're going to cut out their living guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks. We're going to murder those lousy...bastards by the bushel."
from the film Patton

 

[tkramer]

I was looking at the missing and dead on the news, and HUNDREDS were from countries around the world, which is what you would expect from one of the most diverse nations in the world...

 

[U2Bama]

I was also grateful to see the response from our local Mexican-American commmunity in Central Alabama; for months, they have been planning "Celebrazo," a cultural festival, and this week they have decided support their new home, as reported in the Birmingham News:

Celebrazo event shifts focus:

Hispanic organizers of Celebrazo 2001 say Saturday's event will focus on solidarity and support for the United States instead of the celebration of Mexican Independence Day. Organizers will donate 20 percent of the gate proceeds to disaster relief in New York City and Washington, D.C. The celebration at the State Fairgrounds will begin at 10 a.m., an hour earlier than previously announced. The time change was made so the celebration could participate in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and Birmingham Pledge-sponsored tolling of bells at 10:22 a.m. in remembrance of the 1963 church bombing.

My neighbor is an immigrant from Mexico, but also an American like me, and I will tell him that the gesture is appreciated.

~U2Alabama

 

[U2Bama]

Yes, Julyfly, I am doing well. I am comfortable with the decision as a statement for the respect of lives lost, but I had no fears of sitting in close quarters with 84,000 fans this Saturday. I expect next weeks sporting events to be very emotional in retrospect.

One thing I am seriously re-thinking is our travel plans to New York next week; we were supposed to fly into NYC Wednesday night, and travel to Syracuse for the Auburn game Saturday; we are currently "on hold" with those plans, in light of what "may" have been attempted last night.

~U2Alabama

 

[Dreamboat Annie]

I just heard the news guy report that an estimated 1 out of 10 victims of this disaster are British citizens.

 

[Bonovation]

Yeah

, they have been estimating somwhere in the region of the mid-late hundreds for a couple of days for the number of Brits lost.

This really is a global outrage and I for one am glad the the UK is standing by America in whatever action needs to be taken.

If ever there was a time to be united it is now.



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so where is the hope, and where is the faith and the love.....
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Tanya

 

[Skeksis]

The British playing the US National Anthem was one of the most moving and unprecidented moments I have ever witnessed. I for one, feel closer to our brother and sister nations. It seems this whole tragedy has been a wake-up call for not just the US, but for the world. As New York is a truely international city, most of the whole world mourns. There are victims from many nationalities and I am deeply moved that most of the world is coming together. This has been an event of such profound importance. It is clear that although we may not always agree on policies, politics, or whatever else, we do agree on this: united we stand, divided we fall.

 

[socalu2fan]

I was blown away by the British show of support. It is my personal belief that there really is a brotherhood between the U.S., the U.K. and the other former colonies, like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc. that no other nation in the world comes anywhere near having with us.

 

[SIK]

I also want to extend my gratitude for the support that other countries have shown us in this these challenging times.

I too broke down into tears when I saw that the Star Spangled Banner was played at the changing of the Guard at the palace. The UK and the US have always had extremely close ties, not only in language, but in history as well, especially during WWI and WWII...but witnessing something like that first hand was extremely moving. What was equally moving was Ireland declaring Friday a national day of rememberance as well.

Again, I want to thank you.

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"Yeah, we'll shine like stars in the summer night, we'll shine like stars in the winter night. One heart, one hope, one love."

 

[bonoman]

Well us Canada held a show of support for the fallen in our closet ally and friend:

OTTAWA - Up to 100,000 people blanketed the grounds of Parliament Hill on Friday, to mourn and to remember.

Pat Hamilton brought her five-year-old daughter Tamara. "I worry there won't be a tomorrow for us," she said. "Where is this going to go? Where does it stop? Is it going to be a World War Three?"
Many wiped away tears while observing three minutes of silence for the thousands who died in Tuesday's suicide plane attacks in the United States.

Retired RCMP officer Gord McLean brought a huge U.S. flag. "I'm old enough to remember (President John F.) Kennedy's death, and Martin Luther King's. Senseless acts, like this was," he said.

McLean's daughter lives in North Carolina. His emotions, he said, have been rubbed raw. "It's been pretty rough. It could have been here. It could have been anywhere in North America. There's no real border when it comes to this."

Also in the crowd, a small group of Russian army officers in full military dress. Col. Victor Lissen say they're here because terrorists respect no country.

"Everybody should understand that terrorism is a world-wide problem. We must co-operate to fight terrorism together," he said.


Prime Minister Chr?tien speaks at the memorial service

Prime Minister Jean Chr?tien said people around the world are united in their grief and outrage at this week's atrocities. "Together, with our allies," he said, "we will defy and defeat the threat that terrorism poses to all civilized nations."

Chr?tien then quoted from the late Martin Luther King Jr., telling U.S. Ambassador Paul Celucci that in times of crisis it's "not the words of your enemies that are remembered but the silence of your friends."


An American flag amidst the crowd of mourners in Ottawa

Celucci talked of the extraordinary partnership between Canada and the U.S.and of the strength Americans have drawn from that relationship.

"The United States and Canada are free and open societies. Our way of life will be maintained," he said.

When he finished, someone in the crowd released a set of three balloons in the U.S. colours, red, white and blue, to drift over Parliament Hill. A poignant symbol for a country that promises to rise against those responsible for the terrorism.



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Running to Stand Still-"you gotta cry without weeping, talk without speaking, scream without raising your voice."

"we're not burning out we're burning up...we're the loudest folk band in the world!"-Bono

 

[NicaMom]

Add my Thank You's to all the countries that are showing their support to the USA during these hard times.

American Embassy, Stockholm, Sweden

American Embassy, Moscow, Russia

More pics here:
http://uweb.ucsb.edu/~deter/thankyou.htm

 

[TylerDurden]

Originally posted by NicaMom:
More pics here:
http://uweb.ucsb.edu/~deter/thankyou.htm

That pic from the US Embassy in Sydney would look very different now. The street has pretty much had to be closed due to the amount of flowers and people out the front.

Australia has taken a massive historical step in there support of the US. Not just has the government offered (in our Prime Ministers words) "Whatever it takes, whatever you need" but has offered Australia's full military to go under US command, meaning more then supporting, but kinda 'GIVING' our entire army, navy and air force to the US to use as they need it, under US leadership. As if they are just another arm of the US military. Pretty big step.

 

[NicaMom]

Originally posted by TylerDurden:
That pic from the US Embassy in Sydney would look very different now. The street has pretty much had to be closed due to the amount of flowers and people out the front.

Australia has taken a massive historical step in there support of the US. Not just has the government offered (in our Prime Ministers words) "Whatever it takes, whatever you need" but has offered Australia's full military to go under US command, meaning more then supporting, but kinda 'GIVING' our entire army, navy and air force to the US to use as they need it, under US leadership. As if they are just another arm of the US military. Pretty big step.

Wow Tyler, I'm speechless, all it comes to my mind is "One"...Sisters and brothers.
Thank You Australia.

 

[U2Bama]

TylerDurden:

That is INDEED a BIG step, and though I hope it doesn't have to come to any nation's full military, I can tell you that we appreciate it!

WE STAND UNITED - WE WILL NOT TOLERATE TERRORISM.

~U2Alabama