How is 9/11 viewed internationally?

[Singularly Datarific]

Being American, the 9/11 attack is a big-ish deal, especially with the buzz going around about the 10th anniversary.
However, I have no idea how other country's view it, and am wondering how you see it? Do you remember it, or recognize the day? Has it affected you guys too?

Sorry if I sound really American, but these are honest questions.

EDIT: This was written in about 20 seconds 'cos I had to get off the computer quick, so I do not mean to sound short-sighted, just short on time. Also- I'm just asking how you view it, not how America is evil or stupid or dumb or awful. If you feel like insulting the nation, you're missing the point of this.

Oh and internationally its viewed 11/9. <.<

Ohrite, sorry. 9/11 rolls off the tongue easier
I try not to be stereotypical, but to be honest, I've lived here my whole life, so I can only do so much.

 

[Soviet Steve]

Most people in Denmark remember where they were that day. I recall my math teacher was ill but otherwise not much, probably was playing G-Police 2 or something. Otherwise its viewed mainly as attacks on innocent but far-away civilians, so the Oslo attack has greater significance here.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Personally I would call it "some fucked up dodgy business, possibly Vietnam 2.0"

 

[Kodachi]

Canada... on a personal level, we're respectful and sympathetic as we often have relatives that were directly affected but in the grand scheme of things, we really don't care/observe anything. It's your thing and we respect your history but it had nothing to do with us.

 

[Goldjit]

Don't care about it as in moved on.

Also the joke: What happened on November 9th?

 

[Ashannon Blackthorn]

Well most people I talk to here (Canada) generally view it the same as the people in the US do, but not as much of the conspiracy theories lurking about in the background.

 

[HDi]

Also the joke: What happened on November 9th?

It's not a joke... In other countries (like here in Australia) we put the day before the month when we write the date.

Nevertheless, I've never heard anyone say eleven-nine... just nine-eleven or september-eleven.

 

[Cyrax987]

NZ. Not cared about in the slightest. In fact[footnote]Though to be fair this is just from people I have spoken to about it.[/footnote] people find it distasteful that americans still go on and on about it like it was such a big thing. And the whole "They attacked us!" is disgusting.

Simple fact is this, unless you actually lost a family member in the attack then you really need to stfu about it and stop acting as if it had anything to do with you.

Oh and internationally its viewed 11/9. <.<

So because people don't know any of the 3000+ people killed, they shouldn't care and feel bad for those that lost their lives? I find it pretty distasteful that you don't think it wasn't a big deal considering it was a LOT of civilian deaths. Not trying to give you "This is 'Merica!" speech but seriously dude.

A lot of people were affected by it in a lot of emotional ways regardless of knowing any of the victims just like how Pearl Harbor affected the people that were alive when that happened. I'm sure other people feel the same for tragic attacks in their country as well.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I imagine not as respected as wel US would like to hope and the way we promote it (and oh yes, we do certainly promote the hell out of it). Judging fromt he few threads ont he escpaists most countries seem to think we need to get over ourselves or stop trying to push it on to them (though why they think the US is doing that I dont know. Unless youre receiving US television stations or going to us sites that dont localize advertisements then its more your own government and tv stations pushing it on you then the US. and if youre viewing US stations, well, its not really directed at you so much as your just having to deal with it).

Right now the big tragedy to me is the <url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=587792>KHL plane that went down that is starting to show Russia still being/sinking back to third world country status (which isnt an insult or anything, just a general observation). But thats only cause Im big on Hockey.

 

[BanicRhys]

The only people that still care about it in Australia are old women and channel 7 and 9.

 

[Blue Hero]

The year was 2001. I was a fresh-faced young lad back then, full of hope and ambition. Every morning I would wake up and watch Cheese TV before school. I loved watching Pokemon and DBZ. DBZ was my favourite show at the time. If I remember correctly, they were at the Cell saga. I woke up like normal, got dressed like normal, ate breakfast like normal, and turned on my TV like normal. But then... there was no DBZ. Only news. I waited, and waited, and waited, but there was no DBZ. There wasn't even any Pokemon. I was so sad. Those gosh darn tourists stole my childhood.

More on-topic now: I don't really care about 9/11. Yeah, it was bad and all that, but I'm not gonna have a minute of silence or anything like that.

 

[MoNKeyYy]

Do you mean on an emotional level? Because it doesn't have a lot of emotional meaning for me. I didn't lose family or anyone I know, and New York is a few thousand kilometers from where I am even though I'm only a 49th parallel away from the States. I remember the attacks and the news and some parts of the day in surprisingly specific detail though, I remember our teacher telling us kind of what happened then learning about Venn diagrams with translucent coloured rings.

But if you mean "Does 9/11 have meaning internationally?" then you sure as shit better believe it does. Seriously. Anyone who wants to be like "Nah bro it's so far off from us no one really cares" or "Well I'm not American so it didn't really effect me" can shut their fat mouths because you are wrong. 9/11 changed the world, for everyone and you'd better bloody believe it was - and still is - a big deal.

 

[fwlzdxil]

I read a book recently, that reflected, among other things, on how dodgy this whole business was. The book was filled with hate and disgust towards America, though, so I accepted it as 100% truthful information.

 

[BlueMage]

Being American, the 9/11 attack is a big-ish deal, especially with the buzz going around about the 10th anniversary.
However, I have no idea how other country's view it, and am wondering how you see it? Do you remember it, or recognize the day? Has it affected you guys too?

Sorry if I sound really American, but these are honest questions.

How do we view it? As something that happened 10 years ago and has done little but make airport check-ins even more monotonous.

Look, folks died, it was bad. Let the dead - and most of those involved fall under that - rest.

 

[trollnystan]

Beyond reminders around September every year by Americans on the interwebs, I don't really think about when it happened. I mean, it was tragic of course - no doubt about that - but the significance of the actual date has been watered down with the way Americans make a big deal of it every year, at least for me. I am personally sick of hearing the phrase "nine-eleven", of seeing sparkly tacky gifs, et cetera.

I think it's time for you yanks to start commemorating the event every decade instead of every year. Seeing as it's the 10th anniversary this is a great time to start; next year you should keep it on the down-low unless you want the rest of the world to feel put out with you. It's starting to feel a bit morbid. It's time to move on with your lives.

Our news are following it religiously though, I'm sure. I plan to ignore them. I've had enough 9/11 post-mortems to last me a lifetime.

Simple fact is this, unless you actually lost a family member in the attack then you really need to stfu about it and stop acting as if it had anything to do with you.

Hear hear.

 

[freakylarzzy]

it happened, worse things happened...
i don't see why they have to make such a big deal out of it, sure it was horrible but still.
here in the netherlands they had some thing about it on discovery, didn't watch it though.

 

[alias2]

NZ. Not cared about in the slightest. In fact people find it distasteful that americans still go on and on about it like it was such a big thing. And the whole "They attacked us!" is disgusting.

Simple fact is this, unless you actually lost a family member in the attack then you really need to stfu about it and stop acting as if it had anything to do with you.

Oh and internationally its viewed 11/9. <.<

That is odd, because across the Tasman, we still see it as a really big deal.

Anyone who cannot see the massive political and cultural implications of a terrorist attack on that scale, which prime purpose was the destroying of the 'West' is obviously an idiot.

In Australia it was a big thing, obviously people were horrified to watch so many people die, let alone the fact that 11 Australians died in the attacks. Furthermore, I doubt there were many Australians who did not realise that the attacks were as much an attack on the freedoms of the people of the west, as they were an attack on US citizens. The attacks also meant war for Australia which is always a big thing.

As far as marking the day, their were quite a few memorials held by local governments and the like, and as ever the media is doing their thing.

 

[Thaluikhain]

In Australia, at the time it was seen as a big deal, nowdays it's more seen as the beginning of the big deal that is the War on Terror, so the emphasis is slightly shifted.

Otherwise, it's just another one of those terrible things far away that make headlines. Australia hasn't been directly affected by terrorism the same way, though, excepting the Bali bombings 1 year one month and one day later of which almost half the casualties were Australians.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

i won't speak for all of australia, but in the capital at least, it seems the general feeling is "get the hell over it!"
yes, it was a terrible thing, may have shaped western political history for quite a while (though i would argue that that part is to be blamed on the bush admin more than anyone else) but it did not "reshape the world" what's her face on the tv dedication's dad was not a "hero" just because he died in the attack. other things have happened in the last 10 years, i'm not saying people should not be saddened or angered by it anymore, i'm saying that should stop dwelling on it like it's the worst thing that ever happened, cuz it isn't.
and really, it's not the event that this is all about, outside the US nobody even hard anything about it the last 9 aniversaries, but now that it's a decade ago, oooooo! let's have a big song and dance!

...is the general feeling around these parts.

Going to agree with this. Also Australian, and that's also how it's generally viewed around here. It was a tragic loss of life, but it's not as 'world changing' or even as disastrous as it's proclaimed.

It was a horrible thing that happened. Not the worst by a long shot, but it was bad. That's about it though...the long-winded hysteria about it just seems to tire people around here to the point where mention of the 10 year anniversary is greeted by frustrated groans.

 

[SonicKaos]

Most people here (Canada) say they remember what they were doing when they heard the news, so I guess people still care about it. I personally have no clue what I was doing at the time, because it wasn't a big deal to me at the time. I mean, I do feel bad for everyone who lost their lives/loved ones, absolutely... but it was 10 years ago, and thousands of people die every day for similar reasons (though smaller incidents).

If someone you knew died personally, then you have every right to make a big deal out of it each year. If not, then by now I think it should be put into the back of our minds. Pay your respects as you will of course, but there is no need to make a huge deal about it on the news and whatnot anymore.

9/11 matters because it was unexpected in that country, but worse things happen every day elsewhere that no one cares about. Not saying it's right, but it's true.