Martha

<BR>US bound passengers are still stranded at Heathrow airport (and sleeping rough for the second night running) amid reports that the local hotels are putting up their rates to take advantage of the situation (according to the BBC . <BR> <BR>So much for their help. They could have at least opinioned some school rooms for those stranded. <BR> <BR>And if I hear one more Brit saying "the US had it coming...." <BR> <BR>I'll judge my friends by their actions not their words <BR> <BR>- An unhappy American in london.

Kavey

Martha <BR> <BR>I am ashamed of any Brit who said to you that the US had it coming. <BR> <BR>How can anyone deserve such an attack? <BR> <BR>Please know that all Brits are not the same. <BR> <BR>Kavey

Steve James

Martha, <BR> <BR>I'd just like to echo Kavey's thoughts. The overiding sentiment here is one of shared grief and sorrow in the wake of this senseless tragedy ... <BR> <BR>Steve <BR> <BR>

lorene

martha, i'm another american in london and i think that there will always be people with differing views, even on a tragedy such as this. <BR> <BR>the newsie i bought my paper from on the 12th had some people in it complaining about all the trouble and how they weren't going to be able to travel. surrounded by newspaper photos of the WTC, and it made me angry. but then later going through the park with my dog, strangers would hear my american voice and stop me to offer their sympathies. <BR> <BR>i contacted the US embassy to offer housing and to see if there was anything being organized that we could contribute to, and was told our name would go on a list and would be called if we could 'be of some help.' i felt rebuffed (since that have decided to donate to the firefighters fund). <BR> <BR>if you think of those certain hoteliers, think of the people who ARE trying to help over here. it's worth much more to my mind.

Steve

Martha, U.K. citizens are also sleeping rough in the USA because they cannot get back home.Please don't think you are the only one to suffer, I thought that you might have more important things to occupy your mind at the moment.

David

Martha <BR> <BR>I am very sorry that you have experienced such views in London. <BR>Fortunately, my experience has been very different from yours - there is a very sombre feeling in our streets and everyone is truly sickened and saddened <BR>by the events in New York and Washington. Londoners share a great empathy with New York and many regard it as our sister city. We are accustomed to the threat <BR>of terrorist attacks - we have lived with this prospect for years and we <BR>can understand a little of what American is feeling. But, of course, we <BR>cannot comprehend what it must be like to be in New York at this time. We <BR>also know that this could very easily have been us. I certainly <BR>have not heard anyone saying "the US had it coming...." no one in their <BR>right mind could possibly think that innocent people deserved this. <BR> <BR>I have also not heard the stories of hotels at Heathrow putting up their rates to take advantage of the situation – if they have then shame on the companies that own them. I understand that there is a consortium of Airlines/Tour Companies that have block booked all the hotels at Heathrow which have now been full since the attack. Last night at 10pm there were 130 people still at Heathrow and the local authority was approached to find emergency accommodation. Hillingdon Council immediately opened a local civic centre, local coach companies freely picked up the stranded passengers and by 10:30pm they were accommodated at the Civic Centre. Local people have also opened their homes to those stranded. Those stranded were well cared for, fed, given beds, Internet access etc and many praised the way the Council responded to their needs. <BR> <BR>However, people were advised not to travel to Heathrow but some people decided to stay at the airport regardless saying that although the airlines had found them <BR>accommodation in London they wished to sleep at the airport so that they <BR>could be ready to get home to loved ones as soon as transatlantic flights <BR>resumed. <BR> <BR>Our thoughts are very much concentrated on all those affected by this most dreadful and unprecedented event. <BR>

xxx

Heard on ABC news a few minutes ago that at the changing of the guard today at Buckingham palace, the band played the Star Spangled Banner.

Steve

David, thanks for putting into words what I wished to say.It is inconceivable to me that anyone in England would say that 'America had it coming.'The only reaction that I have seen from fellow Brits is deep sadness, and heartfelt sorrow at recent events.

Thyra

Martha, there will always be people who lash out with downright mean and inappropriate comments. It is a sad reality that possibly over 100 citizens of Britain are among those unaccounted for. Numbers are starting to pour in from around the world, Japanese, Australian, Germans, Koreans, Chinese. In short, it seems, sadly that this is everyones tragedy. <BR>Of course no one had it coming. <BR>I think that the majority of people from around the world are reaching out in sympathy. <BR>I, personally are horrified, by reports of people attacking or threatening Muslem Americans. To do such things is more of a victory for the forces of evil. Try to keep your chin up and focus on the positive, as for hotels gauging folkes with prices. Here in the US there was apparently a brief attempt by petrolium companies to jack gas prices up. Opportunistic sons of you know what, show up in any age, in any race and at any time, The trick is to ignore them and turn yourself into a brighter light for the good fight.

Sheila

The BBC reported that people in the area had phoed the airports to offer beds in their homes. The CAA has had to find 2-3000 extra hotel beds every night since Tuesday. I have certainly not heard of people using the sort of language you repeat. Everyone is just so shocked. <BR> <BR>I fear there is more "understanding" by which I DO NOT mean condonation, outside the US, of why these thing have happened and if people have expressed such views I can sympathise entirely with you. Maybe we can get to that next year or the year after. <BR> <BR>This needs no understanding meantime, only condemnation

amy

i am an american living in london, and i actually had a strange encounter with a brit this morning. this woman started grilling me about bush starting wwIII and how they will never know who made the attack because so many nations hate us. she went on to tell me that because the u.s. is so pro-israel and one-sided, who could blame the arab nations from hating us. i calmly told this woman that after seeing news coverage of thousands of my fellow americans tragically killed i would not stand there and defend my country to her. she came back and said, 'but what about all the dead palestinians?' i repeated that i would not enter in these discussions. i was appalled at her inappropriate behavior. we were in a class together and at the end she came over to me, touched my hand and apologized, admitted she was wrong. <BR> <BR>it's true-we will always encounter both kinds of people. i have even heard there are arabs celebrating in the u.s. right now-which i find truly repulsive. <BR> <BR>as far as hotels go, i have heard on bbc about the initial price-gouging-disgusting...but i also heard about the town hall and later the negotiated rates. but it's all so relative-cancun is giving free rooms to americans stranded, yet hawaii is giving half off discounts. and i'm sitting here thinking-gee, hawaii is part of the u.s. and with all the high rates they usually get, they should be the ones doing it gratis. strange how people think they are being so generous, but there is always someone else being more so or less so. <BR> <BR>

like

What about the gas stations here that raised proces 3 to 4 times normal???

Mel

As an American, allow me to ask you, Martha: <BR>What do you MEAN "so much for London's help"? <BR>1. Tony Blair was the first foreign official I saw on TV early Tuesday afternoon letting us know that the UK stood ready to assist us in finding the perpetrators. <BR>2. Sheila and Kavey posted the first words of condolence I saw when I stopped onto this board Tuesday afternoon. <BR>3. Friends who own an inn in Edinburgh assured Americans who had to cancel rooms with them they they would NEVER consider keeping their deposits. <BR>4. By nightfall Tuesday, here in the US, gas station owners were preparing to take advantage of the situation by upping prices outrageously the next morning--and many here in the midwest did. How can you pass judgment on how much empathy another country should have for us when we have business owners trying to cash in on the misery right here at home. <BR>

Yourbritishfriend

Martha <BR> <BR>You are far too harsh to judge the British in this way. I have heard no negative views from any brits. <BR> <BR>Here in the UK I am shocked and outraged at what has happened, My family has lit a candle of hope every night since the 11th Sept. The US and its people are in our thoughts everyday. <BR> <BR>Have no doubt that when the time comes to retaliate the british will be the first to stand by the side of the US and will have an active role in all action taken. <BR> <BR>From <BR>One of your many British friends

C

The people of the UK, perhaps more than any other national group, are very very much our friends. But there are jerks and meannies and untrustworthy souls everywhere, including plenty in the USA, as well as true friends and thoughtful, moral souls in the Arab countries. Martha, your post can stand on its own as a comment on some individual people and groups of businesses in London that are not admirable and not very decent, but its title is unfortunate because it is not about London or Londoners or the English or the residents of the United Kindgom.

Jim Rosenberg

Americans: Let's save our venom for our enemies. The British are clearly our friends. We don't have to look outside our borders for examples of reprehensible or exploitive INDIVIDUALS. Every crackpot with an idiotic view does not express that view on behalf of the flag of the Nation where that person happens to hold citizenship. Really, this should go without saying.

Topping

Topping for the brits - Standing side by side with their friend America

Helen Donegan

Hi Martha <BR>I am Irish and not a natural defender of the English but I know they have a basic decency and should not be judged by the behaviour of the odd few. <BR>I have also heard on the news that hotels in New York have raised their prices. <BR>

anniel

Up until now I have felt quite unable to express my feelings about the shocking bombing of New York. I, like many others have felt numb, angry and outraged by what happened. <BR>Honestly, Martha, the British are right with you all. Tony Blair made a very moving speech having recalled Parliament and has said this country will stand shoulder to shoulder with USA in fighting this world scourge of fanatic terrorism. <BR>Following 3 minutes silence in London yesterday (and all over Europe) I watched a very moving memorial service in St Paul's Cathedral attended by the Queen and Prince Philip. She, like all of us, was clearly affected by the sorrow of the occasion. You are all like part of our extended family and we hope you feel the same way about us. <BR>There are no words that can really comfort people caught up in this dreadful situation, but please accept that we are thinking of you all.

mike

Many friends here in the States talked on how very deeply moved they were when our national anthem was played during the changing of the guard. That sentiment struck a chord. And thanks UK; we two will certainly have many more moments to share well into our common futures. M.