There seems to be something peculiar about dates when it comes to two events — one very recent and one not so recent — that have apparently shaken the United States. And people can't stop pointing it out, and insinuating that the two may be equal in impact and effect when it comes to the country as well as the world!
Even as Republican candidate and now President-elect Donald Trump was addressing his supporters and accepting the verdict, his detractors and also many independent observers were assiduously pointing out how the billionaire business tycoon-turned-politician had been elected to the top post on 11/9 — how the US writes November 9 — a date that is the exact opposite of 9/11, and how this could very well be a sign of things to come.
It may be noted that although the election took place on November 8, the result became apparent only in the early hours of November 9.
The September 11, 2001, terror attacks on American soil, which killed thousands of people and is considered a watershed moment in modern history because of the spectre of terror it raised all over the world, is often referred to as 9/11 in the American date format, where the month comes before the day of the month.
Here is what the world had to say about Trump's election and this eerie connection. Most of them were short and succinct with their messages:
9/11 never forget
— Robert de Heer (@RobertdeHeer2) November 9, 2016
11/9 always regret #ElectionNight #ElectionNight
2 dates changing America:
— Chad❗️ (@joeychadass) November 9, 2016
9/11
11/9
America's worst nightmare was 9/11. Now it's 11/9.
— Essam Ali (@albalucci) November 9, 2016
The tables have turned! #ElectionNight #USElection2016 #ElectionNight
USA mourns 9/11
— Haman (@OfficialHaman) November 9, 2016
USA mourns 11/9#ElectionNight
9/11 & 11/9.
— •?• (@StripesAllure) November 9, 2016
American Tragedies.
9/11 and 11/9, both will be remembered as two of the saddest dates of all time.
— Packers (4-4) (@KdotJohnson_) November 9, 2016
Others were quick to point out that this was indeed a 9/11, albeit elsewhere in the world, where the date is written in a format where the day of the month comes before the month number itself.
Funny how we British write today's date as 9/11.
— Stu. (@dysondoc) November 9, 2016
The general sentiment around these comments were the same: That 9/11 had been a disaster, and that 11/9 — when Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States — possibly equalled that in scale, if not actually overtook it.