September 12th

"September 12th"

Unless this is the day of your birthday it's just another day on the calendar much like April 19th or December 3rd. It doesn't have any real significance. However, in New Zealand, September 12th is the date that Kiwis remember waking up to pictures of the Twin Towers engulfed in flames.

On September 11th at 8:46 a.m New Yorkers were struck with a day that will never be forgotten. It was 12:46am on September 12th in New Zealand. While most kiwis slept Americans were glued to their television sets watching in both horror and amazement at the pictures of the Twin Towers that CNN showed for hours on end.

However, even though the tragedy occurred half way around the globe, New Zealanders were just as shocked and just as glued to their television sets. While driving on the highway this morning back from dropping off the pilot at the airport I listened to every radio station as they re-counted what they remember reporting 7 years ago today and they re-played tracks from President Bush's "acts of evil" speech. One Kiwi reported "I remember watching the television and I couldn't get my head around what I was seeing quickly enough to be able to report it on the air"

Kiwis were just as shocked as Americans and "September 11th" is a day remembered and discussed just as much in this country as it is in America. Kiwis remember where they were when they heard of the attacks just as much as Americans- and yet I am a bit curious on why. I do not discount that the attacks on September 11th were some of the most gruesome and horrifying scenes ever televised. I do not ignore the 2,751 people that died that day and I recognize that it was a major threat on US territory. However, as Americans do you pay tribute and recognize the tragedies of other countries in the same light that foreigners mourn our loss? Do Americans remember where they were on December 26, 2004 when the Indonesian Tsunami hit killing more than 225,000 people in eleven countries. Do you remember where you were in July of 1994 when it the Rwandan genocide death rates hit over 1 million? (I'm embarrassed to say that I never even remember hearing about Rwanda until Hollywood brought it in to my living room long enough to pay attention to Don Cheedle in "Hotel Rwanda")
How about where you were on May 12, 2008 when 69,197 Chinese died in the largest earthquake in 30 years and over 4.8 million people were rendered homeless.

I wonder if it was the nature of the Al Queda attacks that is everlasting. I wonder if it was the fact that it was an attack on the "World's Super Power" -I wonder if it was the number of Americans that died that is so alarming.

Where I will forever be shocked at the concept that human beings could believe in something so much that they could justify flying a plane full of innocent people into an office building. I am also a bit amazed at all of the atrocities that happen across the world everyday and yet it barely makes the 3rd page news in the States.

However, as it stands September 11th is a date that is remembered here as well as at home. At an investment seminar I attended the other day the advisor discussed market trends and focused on the effects of September 11th on the world market and on Kiwis in particular. Kiwi travelers remember being stranded in airports. (Since I've been in New Zealand I have already met 3 people who were or who knew someone in the air and/or about to board a plane somewhere in the world when the attacks occurred). Last night on the news a Kiwi reporter discussed the effects on air travel today and interviewed mainly Americans and Kiwis for their opionin on increased secuirty.

It is a day that is forever branded in everyone's memories and maybe it's not becuase of the number of people that were actually killed. Maybe it's not because of the comparable property damage to other disasters. Perhaps it's an event that transpires geographic lines and translates into thousands of languages since it was a disaster from people, to people and it was seemingly unstoppable. Maybe it's the sense of vulnerability that bonds our memories. Regardless, it is a day to remember. A day to pay tribute and day that reminds us all to acknowledge life.




Here's the full page AP article covering Sept 11th events in the U.S. from today's New Zealand Herald http://msn.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10531812&ref=rss