Thoughts on the world today
Jun. 4th, 2017 11:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amberdreamsLast night just before going to bed, three men drove a white van into a bunch of people on London Bridge, then jumped out of the van and started stabbing people who were enjoying a night out at restaurants and bars on the South Bank. So far there are six people dead and many badly injured.
I don't care why these three men did it. I don't care what cause, if any, they think they were serving, or what God they think might be pleased by such wanton, vicious destruction. Because NO cause, and NO god should require such actions.
Yesterday in Kabul twenty people were killed in a terrorist attack. I didn't see that reported on the news because people are dying there all the time and it's far, far away - it's not considered news-worthy. This morning, six people have died in Kandahar, but we won't hear about that either, because London will be top billing. I do understand why this is how it is. We here in the West live in a cushioned, 'civilised' society, and we are not used to this kind of killing on our own doorsteps. We are not used to the feeling of vulnerability, to being suddenly at risk, or a possible target, so we shout about it. To a certain extent, Londoners and our big cities are remembering that feeling from the 70s and 80s, when the IRA made us targets before, but really, this is new to us.
So anyone reading this from a war torn and battered part of the world, forgive our reactions and bear with us while we work through some of the things you might face every day.
I have to say, I do not like this world and the direction it is going. I fear for the future, even while I plan for all the stupid little things that make my priveleged life fun. Let's hope human kindness, courage and resiliience win out over hate, prejudice and greed.
I don't care why these three men did it. I don't care what cause, if any, they think they were serving, or what God they think might be pleased by such wanton, vicious destruction. Because NO cause, and NO god should require such actions.
Yesterday in Kabul twenty people were killed in a terrorist attack. I didn't see that reported on the news because people are dying there all the time and it's far, far away - it's not considered news-worthy. This morning, six people have died in Kandahar, but we won't hear about that either, because London will be top billing. I do understand why this is how it is. We here in the West live in a cushioned, 'civilised' society, and we are not used to this kind of killing on our own doorsteps. We are not used to the feeling of vulnerability, to being suddenly at risk, or a possible target, so we shout about it. To a certain extent, Londoners and our big cities are remembering that feeling from the 70s and 80s, when the IRA made us targets before, but really, this is new to us.
So anyone reading this from a war torn and battered part of the world, forgive our reactions and bear with us while we work through some of the things you might face every day.
I have to say, I do not like this world and the direction it is going. I fear for the future, even while I plan for all the stupid little things that make my priveleged life fun. Let's hope human kindness, courage and resiliience win out over hate, prejudice and greed.