London Bombings : One Day On
I'm sure this post will not be long enough or reflective enough, but here's how I see the world a day on from yesterday's attacks.
1. I feel lucky. I survived - despite having Kings Cross as my local tube station. All those I care about survived (although frankly I now feel like murdering the friend who (a) commutes past Aldgate and Liverpool Street and (b) lost their mobile on Wednesday making it impossible to contact them), as did everyone I work with. The closest I came was a friend who saw the bus bomb blast, and another who heard it. Also, although obviously this won't be shared by anyone less fortunate, I feel lucky as a city today, too. Although the full scale has yet to emerge (police still reporting 38 dead, newspapers around 50) I think that most of us assumed when we heard what was going on that things were going to be a lot worse, and fortunately that hasn't proved to be the case. We've all been expecting something like this, and although it sounds stupid there's a 'is that all you've got?' feeling in the air.
2. I feel angry, and proud. The only purported statement claiming responsibility found, by the BBC, on a website states that 'Britain is now burning with fear'. This is patent balls judging by my walk in this morning. A few extra pedestrians, a couple of streets still closed and a little more traffic on the road, but I get the sense that everyone is getting back to work. (Apart from me, blogging away). The voxpops on the news say the same thing: 'We're here. They have not won', and it really does feel like that right now. As I said yesterday the less we react the more of a victory for us this is.
3. I feel grateful. The authorities were excellent. I shall make that tube journey later today - all the railway lines (with one exception) were open by 5pm yesterday, and today about 60% of the tube is operating normally too. Without the rapid and pre-planned response, things would have been a lot worse. Whoever took the immediate decision to stop tube trains in stations after the first blast probably saved several hundred lives.
3. I feel confused. What were they trying to achieve? Obviously, it's beyond my comprehension why anyone things bombing commuters would help their cause, but even putting that to one side yesterday makes no sense. Both Aldgate and Edgware Road, as Guido and others note are areas associated with Arab or Muslim communities. But then to stir up hatred (which thankfully has yet to rear its ugly head) where better to aim? I am far from convinced we understand who is responsible yet (whoever you are - can't you even claim responsibility properly?) and this story has much further to go. Was the bus an accident, while aiming for somewhere else?
4. I feel ready for a fight. I reckon we have about a week before this government decides that it can now push through its legislation against freedom of speech, in favour of ID cards and much else besides. As Ian McEwan says in the Grauniad this morning, we must decide how much power to give Leviathan and I know my answer will differ from Mr Blair's.
This has been an odd new turn for this blog, but the need to talk and write about what was happening yesterday was strong enough to break through my feeble attempts to keep my politics out of the blog. I'll keep writing until next week and then make a decision about what to do long term.
Go and read Yesbutnobutyes for a blog roundup.
P.S. We won the cricket. Not everything is back to normal, then.
1. I feel lucky. I survived - despite having Kings Cross as my local tube station. All those I care about survived (although frankly I now feel like murdering the friend who (a) commutes past Aldgate and Liverpool Street and (b) lost their mobile on Wednesday making it impossible to contact them), as did everyone I work with. The closest I came was a friend who saw the bus bomb blast, and another who heard it. Also, although obviously this won't be shared by anyone less fortunate, I feel lucky as a city today, too. Although the full scale has yet to emerge (police still reporting 38 dead, newspapers around 50) I think that most of us assumed when we heard what was going on that things were going to be a lot worse, and fortunately that hasn't proved to be the case. We've all been expecting something like this, and although it sounds stupid there's a 'is that all you've got?' feeling in the air.
2. I feel angry, and proud. The only purported statement claiming responsibility found, by the BBC, on a website states that 'Britain is now burning with fear'. This is patent balls judging by my walk in this morning. A few extra pedestrians, a couple of streets still closed and a little more traffic on the road, but I get the sense that everyone is getting back to work. (Apart from me, blogging away). The voxpops on the news say the same thing: 'We're here. They have not won', and it really does feel like that right now. As I said yesterday the less we react the more of a victory for us this is.
3. I feel grateful. The authorities were excellent. I shall make that tube journey later today - all the railway lines (with one exception) were open by 5pm yesterday, and today about 60% of the tube is operating normally too. Without the rapid and pre-planned response, things would have been a lot worse. Whoever took the immediate decision to stop tube trains in stations after the first blast probably saved several hundred lives.
3. I feel confused. What were they trying to achieve? Obviously, it's beyond my comprehension why anyone things bombing commuters would help their cause, but even putting that to one side yesterday makes no sense. Both Aldgate and Edgware Road, as Guido and others note are areas associated with Arab or Muslim communities. But then to stir up hatred (which thankfully has yet to rear its ugly head) where better to aim? I am far from convinced we understand who is responsible yet (whoever you are - can't you even claim responsibility properly?) and this story has much further to go. Was the bus an accident, while aiming for somewhere else?
4. I feel ready for a fight. I reckon we have about a week before this government decides that it can now push through its legislation against freedom of speech, in favour of ID cards and much else besides. As Ian McEwan says in the Grauniad this morning, we must decide how much power to give Leviathan and I know my answer will differ from Mr Blair's.
This has been an odd new turn for this blog, but the need to talk and write about what was happening yesterday was strong enough to break through my feeble attempts to keep my politics out of the blog. I'll keep writing until next week and then make a decision about what to do long term.
Go and read Yesbutnobutyes for a blog roundup.
P.S. We won the cricket. Not everything is back to normal, then.
posted by Chris at 8:33 AM
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