Foreign Nationals ~ 9-11

September 11, 2011

Good Morning ~ “9-11”

For several weeks now we have be inundated with recognition of the Terrorist Attacks that took place on September 11, 2001.  Whether it was the comics, editorials, music, television programming or the abnormal abundance of American flags displayed.  Understand, I am not complaining about any of it, for we should remember these things, because if we don’t, we will be destined to repeat them.

When Osama Bin Laden and his Islamic Extremists organization “Al Qaeda” attacked the United States, I wonder if there was any consideration as to just how many countries they actually attacked by virtue of citizens also killed from other countries.  I seems that anytime an “American” is killed in another country, we hear about it.  We care and at that time, it is not as if they were white, black, brown, red or any other color including purple, but only the fact that they were “Americans”.

This last week of remembrances, I have heard stories of husbands, wives, children and countless others who’s lives have been changed by the attacks.  What I haven’t heard are stories of the people from other countries who were affected.  Maybe it isn’t “newsworthy” in the U.S.A. to consider these other citizens who were lost that day.

Personally, I would like to know how the families and friends of the 66 people from The United Kingdom, or the 47 from the Dominican Republic, or the 41 people from India, or the 28 from South Korea, or the 24 from Japan and Canada, even the one-each from 17 different countries.  I hope that we are not so self-centered that we have lost empathy for our friends in other countries.  I still notice it each time the news reports an airline crash and it is reported, “there were 3 Americans on board”.  What about the other 74 souls?

So, after recognizing the 2,669 U.S. Citizens killed, we should also recognize the 372 Foreign Nationals who were also murdered that day.  Yes their names are etched with the other victims on the memorials, but precious little is mentioned of their lives.