They warned us it would happen. Did anyone believe it would be as horrific as it was? I was due at a meeting in Westminster at 11.00am and left home to the radio telling me there had been power surges on the underground system. As I got on the train at Surbiton I heard that a bus "may" have blown up. It was unconfirmed at that time but I still hesitated to get on the train. As I sat down I heard it confirmed on the radio that indeed a bus had been destroyed. I had a very nervous journey (non-stop) to Waterloo. You cannot help looking around you and thinking whether it was not the time for an over ground train in the South of London to be a target.
It became clear that I was not going to get to Westminster for a meeting and to be honest I did not think there was much to be achieved on a day like that.
I got the next train out of London and came back to Surbiton.
It is interesting how much the international press have commented on the British stoicism. How we did not panic etc!! But yet, as the papers have made clear, we are a multi racial, multi ethnic society and I find it curious that a diverse community such as ours did not panic. I suppose some of that stoicism is just shock and the inevitable belief that we cannot believe this is happening to a London we all know and a transport system on which we all travel.
But is there also a general weariness for a country that has been subject to the horrors of terrorism for very much longer than the US. I remember the day my second child was born. I turned on the evening news to find that the NI peace process had broken down and a bomb exploded in Docklands. That was in February 2006. Throughout all the Irish troubles we just got on with life. Not that we were not fearful but that we understood that like travelling in aircraft the likelihood of dying through terrorism on the streets of London is very low. I accept that 9/11 marked a new style of mass terrorism, the horrors of which I hope never descend on London, but I do believe we must see terrorism for what it is; an attempt to disrupt and punish through inflicting death that the terrorists would welcome for themselves. It is almost impossible to stop the effects of this type of fanaticism.
There are those who argue that we need to solve the causes of terrorism. I believe those that say this misunderstand what terrorism is about. Has peace allowed the IRA to hand over their weapons? Islamic terrorism, if that is what it is, is based on faith, religious doctrine and principle. You cannot win an argument against these things. Like others I hope that the use of Islam as a cover for terrorism will be seen to be what it is; a gross abuse of those who follow this ancient faith. I have seen nothing but kindness and a desire to help their fellow man amongst the many Muslims I have met in Kingston.
Let us pray that this is the last we see of these horrors; sadly I expect not.
2 comments:
I agree that decent Muslims cannot be blamed for these murders. We can but hope that countries like Pakistan will continue to assist us, but there is a worry about unregistered schools used for indoctrination there. If this can happen in Pakistan, can it happen here too? No sarcastic rhetoric intended.
I do not wish to demonise any religion and am proud of the majority of British citizens for their empathy and understanding of the real situation. Our diversity enables our strength and our shared humanity is our saving grace.
One thing to amend though, unless one is a Time Lord, 2006 hasn't come around yet. If we were Time Lords of course, we would stop terrorism. I suggest we get to the root of it ASAP and destroy it's poisonous base. Where there is poverty and alienation there is a terrorist waiting to propagate hate.
Best regards
Mandy Worrall
Guildford
My mistake, my daughter was born in 1996.
I think the issue you raise on schools is an intersting one for which I admit I have not enough knowledge to give a view.
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