London
My city, the place I call home, has been attacked. People have lost their lives. Four bombs - three on tubes and one on a bus - within the space of an hour changed the city from a jubilant, hopeful place celebrating winning the Olympic bid, to a numbed, temporarily, place of quiet bereavement.
There is no need for me to condemn these incidents, my words are inadequate. I am weeping inside with anger and a sense of loss as the fearful actions we have been told were on their way finally arrived.
I first heard about the explosions on the radio just as I left the house at about 9.20am. I caught a DLR to Tower - the driver said the underground was closed due to a power surge, which I eagerly believed, tutting, with a 'typical' smirk. When we arrived at the terminal station it was being closed 'due to overcrowding'. These are the things they say to prevent panic - I did believe them and felt perfectly safe.
But after I crossed Tower Bridge to catch a bus to work, TOH called me to say there were other explosions and also one on a bus and the realisation that this was serious dawned. With great impatience I got to work and started to scour the PA reports for information which I stuck on the website, along with latest travel info and headlines.
All day, I watched events unfold on Sky and the wires to the point where it became so surreal it was hard to relate the news to the city outside my window.
So this is what it feels like. I can hardly remember the days of the IRA bombs but they never seemed so scary as this new form of terrorism which acts outside the pattern of human behaviour. How can we stop someone who is prepared to kill so indiscriminately, and to give their own life in the name of a ficticious man sat on a cloud who makes the rules?
It's been over a week since I last posted. I meant to catch up but it all seems fairly trivial now.
We have been busy watching bats, picking up wedding dresses, having emergency back treatment, stressing, meeting old friends, eating Thai and Indian curries, getting excited about the Olympics and generally being sceptical of the Live 8 bands who were being extreme prima donnas backstage where the audience couldn't see them.
On reflection I am quite annoyed that I've had no time to comment on such a history-making week!
There is no need for me to condemn these incidents, my words are inadequate. I am weeping inside with anger and a sense of loss as the fearful actions we have been told were on their way finally arrived.
I first heard about the explosions on the radio just as I left the house at about 9.20am. I caught a DLR to Tower - the driver said the underground was closed due to a power surge, which I eagerly believed, tutting, with a 'typical' smirk. When we arrived at the terminal station it was being closed 'due to overcrowding'. These are the things they say to prevent panic - I did believe them and felt perfectly safe.
But after I crossed Tower Bridge to catch a bus to work, TOH called me to say there were other explosions and also one on a bus and the realisation that this was serious dawned. With great impatience I got to work and started to scour the PA reports for information which I stuck on the website, along with latest travel info and headlines.
All day, I watched events unfold on Sky and the wires to the point where it became so surreal it was hard to relate the news to the city outside my window.
So this is what it feels like. I can hardly remember the days of the IRA bombs but they never seemed so scary as this new form of terrorism which acts outside the pattern of human behaviour. How can we stop someone who is prepared to kill so indiscriminately, and to give their own life in the name of a ficticious man sat on a cloud who makes the rules?
It's been over a week since I last posted. I meant to catch up but it all seems fairly trivial now.
We have been busy watching bats, picking up wedding dresses, having emergency back treatment, stressing, meeting old friends, eating Thai and Indian curries, getting excited about the Olympics and generally being sceptical of the Live 8 bands who were being extreme prima donnas backstage where the audience couldn't see them.
On reflection I am quite annoyed that I've had no time to comment on such a history-making week!
posted by The WyeBird @ 10:27 pm
4 Comments:
At 9:46 pm,
Anonymous said…
I wouldn't have said this is a "new form of terrorism". People in other countries across the world put up with it every day...
I don't think groups like the IRA were in any way better. Bombs are bombs - doesn't matter what etiquette you employ when deciding to use them.
At 5:20 pm,
Anonymous said…
Fair point, but it is new to me. I was only in my teens when London was targetted by the IRA and I don't remember it being quite like this. I don't remember feeling that there is a chance I could be blown up on a tube or bus. Possibly because I was quite naive in those days, or possibly because that wasn't the IRA's style?
At 7:54 pm,
Anonymous said…
The media have completely blown the threat out of all proportion.
You are more likely to die of a heart attack or falling in front of a tube than getting blown up.
Just think - none of this would be anywhere near as frightening if we weren't hearing about it all day long on the net, 24 hour news etc...
The IRA attacks never had that sort of coverage. Yet they were far more organised and methodical than this crowd- who are clearly a bunch of lucky amateurs.
Don't believe the hype.
At 4:34 pm,
The WyeBird said…
Ha ha! I AM 'the media'. You don't have to tell me not to believe the hype!
Plus I cycle round London a lot, so I am fully aware of my chances of getting splatted.
But like with any 'activity' it is the amateurs who are the most dangerous!
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