Thursday, July 07, 2005
London
is my town. And I am proud of it and wish I was there.
I hope there isn't going to be some hideous, frightening surge of toxic patriotism that leads to anyone in a turban being beaten in the street, but I don't think there will be. Not in the American sense - we are too reserved, and this is as it should be.
The timing was perfect in the sense that it destroyed the ecstatic we-won mood, made everyone think that there's going to be seven years of this and of course disrupted the G8 summit, but given that the 60th anniversary of WWII is just around the corner. . .a resounding doh is in order. Londoners are going to suddenly feel part of this noble line of cheerful, stoic survivors and will party like nuts.
I think they all have the right to get a bit soppy in the next couple of weeks. It is a great place. People will be back on the tube tomorrow and will soon be grumbling about delays on the Northern line just like normal.
Everyone I know seems to be OK. I'm hoping the death toll stays under 100 - of course any at all is bad enough but it could have been so very much worse.
I hope there's some evidence of at least some thought beyond "kill 'em all" after this - don't hold out much hope, and I'm not sure that anything could be done to avoid it happening again. I hope they don't just do something which will erode civil liberties but not make anyone any safer, just to be seen to be doing something.
I hope Bush doesn't expect any more favours.
I hope there isn't going to be some hideous, frightening surge of toxic patriotism that leads to anyone in a turban being beaten in the street, but I don't think there will be. Not in the American sense - we are too reserved, and this is as it should be.
The timing was perfect in the sense that it destroyed the ecstatic we-won mood, made everyone think that there's going to be seven years of this and of course disrupted the G8 summit, but given that the 60th anniversary of WWII is just around the corner. . .a resounding doh is in order. Londoners are going to suddenly feel part of this noble line of cheerful, stoic survivors and will party like nuts.
I think they all have the right to get a bit soppy in the next couple of weeks. It is a great place. People will be back on the tube tomorrow and will soon be grumbling about delays on the Northern line just like normal.
Everyone I know seems to be OK. I'm hoping the death toll stays under 100 - of course any at all is bad enough but it could have been so very much worse.
I hope there's some evidence of at least some thought beyond "kill 'em all" after this - don't hold out much hope, and I'm not sure that anything could be done to avoid it happening again. I hope they don't just do something which will erode civil liberties but not make anyone any safer, just to be seen to be doing something.
I hope Bush doesn't expect any more favours.
