October 12, 2002

For many Americans the first, last, and only date that comes to mind when thinking of terrorism is September 11, 2001. But this was not the first occasion of terrorism in human history, nor was it the last. A year, a month and a day after the events that changed the way Americans think about terrorism, our Australian friends paid the price for being our friends. A terrorist bombing in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia directed against Western tourists killed 202 people at an Irish pub. 88 of these people were Australians, 38 were Indonesian, 23 were British, and the remaining 51 were from 19 different nations, including 7 Americans.

On that day, a friend of mine from work was getting married, and since the reception was near where I live but far from where most of our other work friends live, my house became a sort of pre-reception staging area. We had a great time at the pre-party, a great time at the reception, and a great time at the post-reception party at my house. I don't think it was until the next morning that I heard of the news of the attack, and not until a few days later that I saw the image that most sticks in my mind: a young partier, badly burned but very much alive, standing amidst the wreckage, looking for his friends. Before the magazine that bore his picture went to press, he would die of his injuries, in time for his death to be reported in the caption of the photo.

As I write this, October 12 is nearly half over in Sydney and Brisbane. Memorial ceremonies are being held throughout Australia and in Bali to commemorate the people killed in this act of terrorism. On September 11, America remembers the day terrorists struck at us on our home soil. On October 12, we should also remember the day terrorists struck at our Australian friends.

There are several ways I could wrap this up, but none of them seem appropriate.