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.

Country Total fatalities
Argentina 4
Australia 11
Bangladesh 6
Belarus 1
Belgium 1
Brazil 3
Canada 24
Chile 3
China 3
Côte d’Ivoire 1
Colombia 17
Democratic Republic of the Congo 2
Dominican Republic 47
El Salvador 2
Ecuador 3
Ethiopia 2
France 3
Germany 11
Ghana 2
Guyana 3
Haiti 2
Honduras 1
India 41
Indonesia 1
Ireland 6
Israel 5
Italy 10
Jamaica 16
Japan 24
Jordan 2
Lebanon 3
Lithuania 1
Malaysia 3
Mexico 16
Moldova 1
Netherlands 1
New Zealand 2
Nigeria 1
Peru 5
Philippines 16
Portugal 5
Poland 6
Romania 3
Russia 1
South Africa 2
South Korea 28
Spain 1
Sweden 1
Switzerland 2
Republic of China (Taiwan) 1
Trinidad and Tobago 14
Ukraine 1
Uzbekistan 1
United Kingdom 66
Bermuda 1
Venezuela 1

If just for a moment, think about those families as well and how having their loved ones murdered in this “land of the free” must have impacted them.

I think it is also important for us to remember that there were 31 innocent Muslims who were also murdered that day.  The Muslim community has condemned the actions of the terrorist of 9-11, but our news media for some reason has failed to make an effort to get the word out.  Because of the media’s intentional or unintentional incompetence in this matter, Muslims have been feared and persecuted in this country, which was founded on religious freedom and equality.  There is even a petition started by Muslims to denounce the actions of terrorist in the name of Islam.  It is called “Not in the name of Islam”.  You didn’t know that?  Well neither did I.  Interesting that the petition was started in 2004.  I believe the motivation came from the discrimination suffered by Muslims in this country after the attacks and based on the misconceptions of the faith.

Shades of what we did to Japanese-Americans after December 7, 1941.  The quote “We only fear what we don’t understand” is alive and well in the U.S.A.

Question: Should we include the Flags of Foreign Victims in the “Remembrance Fields” or just keep it an American thing?

As we continue to heal from the events of 10 years ago today, let us remember the past, live for today and plan for a better tomorrow.

Love, Dad

 

Thanks to Wikipedia for the many links I used on this post.

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One Response to Foreign Nationals ~ 9-11

  1. Pingback: Week in Review: 9/11 and Immigration « About Immigration

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