Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

I recall being in Europe at the time of 9/11 and everywhere you went if people saw Americans they would stop them and express sympathy. There was seemingly a huge collective outpouring of sympathy towards our American cousins for the terrible events visited on New York.

Now following the bombs in London I had anticipated a similar response from here but aside from reports from the UK Consulate that they have had some phone calls of sympathy I haven’t seen a lot of evidence of it. Its probably just me, or maybe Boston still hates the lobster backs :D , but I wondered if anyone else has felt a wave of sympathy coming from Americans and directed at any of us Ex-pat Brits.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Nope. Only one friend over here even bothered to ring me to make sure everyone I knew was safe and well.

I met up with a few others last night and, half way into the evening one of them suddenly remembered to ask, but none of them expressed any sympathy or anything.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

I received several emails and phone calls from American friends asking if any of my family were affected. A lady down the street stopped me that evening to ask if my family were o.k. and even said that her Church were holding a special prayer meeting. During the day several companies I called picked up I was English and again asked if my family were o.k. I guess thats the way of the South, but people did seem genuinely concerned.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

A couple of my husband's immediate family here have enquired if I had relatives involved in the bombings, and were sympathetic about the whole thing.

Husband's daughter and son-in-law both work on the local daily newspaper.
Daughter expressed the view that she wished the UK had never joined in with Bush's war (she is very anti-Bush) as it has caused this to happen.
Son-in-law was thinking of asking me for a comment for his column, but so far hasn't done so (probably for the best :o ).

There were 2 pieces in the local paper (not by son-in-law) about local people who happened to have been in London on 7 July. And a comment that perhaps it would be better if Americans don't travel to Europe for vacations :mad:

Am waiting for the Sunday edition for son-in-law's column - He is very liberal minded. We shall see.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Couple of friends have asked about family. And a couple of strangers have kind of muttered how bad it was. Thats about it really. But to be honest I'd soon get pissed off if everyone stopped to tell me how bad it was/ask am I ok/etc etc so I dont mind not having hordes of people wailing at my feet.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Damn everyone of them for not asking me how I feel!. :rolleyes:

I've had some calls from my US family asking me if I had any family or friends close to where the bombs went off. I have also had some enquiries at work. I've stopped telling them that my folks are about an hour away from the incidents, because here, an hour away is one side of the valley to the other in some cases.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Haven't seen anything over here, but a couple people where the missus works asked her if she was alright...which was slightly weird.

Though it would get annoying if everyone did ask, so that doesn't bother me that much...though one thing that did, no flags at half mast, and they always drop the flag at half mast for the most trivial of things in this state, so that was a little surprise.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

The morning of the bombings I went to work, first stop was the Post Office and there was a women complaining to the staff that the grass outside needed cutting and how it was disrespectful to the people who lived in the community and was bringing property prices down (as if). I very loudly told her to get over herself and silently thought of those people on the tube who lost their lives and here is this cow complaining about the grass being too long. I now wish I had actually said to her what I was really thinking of at the time :mad:

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Oh yes. Several people at work have come up to me to express their sympathy and concern about my family (they live in London). Even someone I work with in FL whom I've never met called me and left a message to express her concern too!

On a family level, both my sister and mother-in-law have called to check that my family are OK in London.



NC Penguin

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

People at my work were concerned that I was ok and a lady asked me if my family were okay in the ice cream parlour last night.
Didn't some brass band in NYC play God save The Queen as a way to show support, the same way the Queen had the band at Buck Palace play the Star Spangled Banner after 9/11.
Also whilst watching Jay Leno he took a minute out of his jokes to express his support and sorrow at what had happened and said everyone on the crew was feeling the same way. Also went on to say that Britain was like a brother to America and that we'd always been there for them in times of trouble.
Also on CNN they had the Union Jack flying behind the newscaster all the time. I watched Bill O'Reilly for all of 5 minutes (all I can bear) and he implied that it may have been our own fault for letting in too many muslims and when a British journalist said she thought that innocents were keilled in Iraq he said he thought there were no innocents in Iraq! How can anyone be so blind as to say that?? So of course we're not intentionally going and bombing schools but innocent people have died. I won't suprise me if someone takes that guy out one day.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

My daughter works in a supermarket.....and she had people run in on their days off to see if her family in the UK were OK and to make sure she knew what had happend.....

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Seems like its mostly me then so thats heartening to hear.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

I never give it a thought until reading this......my next door neighbours son who is 18 asked us about it and if our families were OK when he saw us out at dinner......apart from one American in my groups......no-one else from the USA that I know has said anything......not even on the yahoo boards where everyone knows where I come from......

So it looks like my daughter has a few very nice caring American friends.......

I just asked hubby.....and he was asked.......but then very few of the people he works with are American......

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Yes I have had people express their concern at what happened, which I think is very nice of them.
By the way Bill Reilly is a complete ass in my book and not worth listening to.

Re: Expressions of Sympathy for London Bombs?
 

Yes - virtually everyone in my office expressed concern and sympathy and asked after my relatives, etc. My wife also had her colleagues asking her if all my friends and relatives were ok.