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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that if 9/11 had happened anywhere else we wouldn't be remembering it ten years on?

471 replies

wannaBe · 10/09/2011 18:06

... or probably even one year on.

I am not taking away from how horrific it was for all who were directly affected.

But if it had been anywhere but America the world would have moved on and we wouldn't be facing wall-to-wall coverage ten years on. Even if it had been the UK only the UK would be remembering.

OP posts:
bemybebe · 10/09/2011 20:49

demand for the coverage of these news
sorry badgecub i did not mean to offend. you are one of not many people who knows about this even though, that is my point

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 20:49

So Al Qaeda and the Taliban are innocent? Whatever!

chibi · 10/09/2011 20:50

i think it is not so much that 3000 people died at once, though that is part of it, as is the fact that it happened to the most powerful nation on earth

But

it was the first time so far as i know that multiple passenger planes were used as missiles to kill even more people

i think for this reason, had it happened anywhere else, planes smashing into skyscrapers and an important government building, people would make a big deal about it surely

duckdodgers · 10/09/2011 20:52

"Of course it should feature heavily in the media, it didn't only affect Americans, it affected THE WORLD!"

Posts like this are plenty on this thread - but I don't think the OP is saying it only affected Americans - only that it gets the coverage and remembrance it does precisely because it happened in America, of course it affected many nationalities! And asking the question would it get the same coverage etc if it happened in a non Western country? Legitimate question I think.

Are some people just not reading the thread or reading the same thread as me??

Milsean · 10/09/2011 20:54

@Ginger, its not really Al Qaeda that were getting killed though was it? It was women, children, old people and all......

TidyDancer · 10/09/2011 20:55

I'm not sure where I stand on this one, but I do see what the OP is saying.

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 20:57

duckdodgers had it happened in London, to a building occupied by multinationals it would still be remembered world wide. Because of the method employed and the fact it was human beings doing it to other human beings.

Fontsnob · 10/09/2011 20:58

Yup...not invited.

Angry
Portofino · 10/09/2011 20:58

If I think about it, the only way that these terrorist attacks have changed MY life, is that I now view Asian males with suspicion when travelling. I HATE it that I even think like this. I never did before. I don't want to think like this, as I know full well that the vast majority of people are not terrorists, nor suicide bombers, but I think the media has propagated this SO much, that my sub-conscious overtakes my rational thought. I am SAD about this.

bemybebe · 10/09/2011 21:01

duckdodgers - maybe because Americans are good at remembering/covering the anniversaries of their dead AND it happened to affect many around the world?

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 21:01

Milsean and so we should let the regime stand? I think the girls going to school without burkhas might differ from your opinion. Civilians have been regretfully caught up, but the Taliban openly use kids as human bombs.

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 21:03

Portofino it affects my life directly, I live without my DH for large chunks of time because he is doing his job in the Middle East.

duckdodgers · 10/09/2011 21:04

gingerwrath - did you read what I said? Of course it would be "remembered" in London - which is a Western country, I actually said would it be remembered if it had happened 10 years ago in a non Western country???

duckdodgers · 10/09/2011 21:04

And I dont know the answer by the way I'm just saying I can see what point the Op is trying to make

Milsean · 10/09/2011 21:06

Are you mixing up Al Qaeda and the Taliban Ginger? And what did the Taliban have to do with 9/11 anyway? And who made America the worlds policeman?

Do I think the regime should stand...no. But neither do I think the ill-judged, reactionary, expensive, drawnout waste of lives on ALL sides that happened was a great idea either. Who does?

Fontsnob · 10/09/2011 21:06

bemybebe, not that that great when you consider that they in fact haven't invited the firefighters (see my link above).

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 21:08

Possibly not duck but I think you'll find 9/11 isn't being commemorated in Eastern countries.

GingerWrath · 10/09/2011 21:10

I know the difference, I also know that when we went in it wasn't ideal, but all the troops I know, and the widows I know, want to see the job through.

bemybebe · 10/09/2011 21:12

"And I dont know the answer by the way I'm just saying I can see what point the Op is trying to make"

Please explain what point the OP is trying to make because I do not.

My daughter's, mother's and my brother's death affected me more than anything else in the world yet I do not claim that this has changed the world. 9/11 changed my world more than 7/7 because this was the day I realized we are not safe anywhere, 7/7 was just a confirmation.

If so-called "9/11" happened anywhere else or anytime else it would not be 9/11 the way we know if.

What a stupid OP (not the poster, just the message)...

I am off...

bemybebe · 10/09/2011 21:13

fontsnob, see my post above please... about clever people and all that

duckdodgers · 10/09/2011 21:14

ginger I dont know if it is or isn't tbh - maybe someone else does.

Milsean · 10/09/2011 21:16

What does that even mean though, see the job through? To what end? What is the withdrawal point?

RedHotPokers · 10/09/2011 21:17

OP - I see where you are coming from. Its a valid question, and I don't think you deserve to be harangued.

There are many reasons why the media, society et al focus on certain events and not on others. Why was there such an outpouring of grief about Diana's death - hundreds of hours about how 'giving' she was, her charity work, what she meant to people etc etc. Whilst Mother Teresa death the same week was hardly reported. Now this is partly due to the fact that Diana's life was cut short in dramatic circumstances, but also because she was rich, glamorous and controversial.

Fontsnob · 10/09/2011 21:18

I'm sorry bemybebe...I am stupid because I linked to an article that shows that the very people who put their lives on the line to save people are not invited to the memorial service? I guess I must be, because I don't get your point.

duckdodgers · 10/09/2011 21:18

bemybebe a lot of people have tried to explain their understanding of what OP is trying to say - if you don't get it you don't get it. I don't think its an American bashing post as someone has said, my understanding is OP is genuinely interested in wanting to understand more about whether there would be the same level of interest 10 years on if it had happened somewhere else, thats all.