First of all, THANK YOU to everyone whose shown sympathy to my city and my country. It has thus far been a terrible day. The knowledge that the world is sharing in the horror and grief we are having inflicted on us is genuinely reassuring.
Sitting here in my flat in Pimlico, five minutes' walk from Victoria, one of London's most important stations, I can still hear a now-constant din of sirens and helicopters.
The Edgware Road bomb exploded about 20 metres from Mrs Taxloss' parents' flat - fortunately, they were abroad. Another friend had to walk through a Tube tunnel.
But London has seen worse. We knew it could happen - our authorities wasted no opportunity to warn us. We weathered the 20-year IRA campaign - the offices of a company I use to work for were severely damaged in the Docklands bomb. The Blitz flattened most of the centre and killed 30,000 Londoners. The city has burned down on several occasions.
During the Blitz, London's motto was "business as usual". It was a matter of pride. Half-burned libraries remained open. Shops that had no roof and nothing to sell remained open. There's a famous picture of an almost-destroyed shop, open for business, and displaying a sign saying "You should see our Hamburg branch".
Maybe I'm feeling flippant because it hasn't sunk in yet. Certainly, I had a bit of a weep earlier, and I just feel numb. But weary, deadpan cynicism is London's main export - the notion that the "Blitz spirit" is this sort of chipper, cheery, cheeky-chappie happy Dick van Dyke Cockney demeanour is bollocks - it was a time of black humour. Viz the "Hamburg Branch". There's a dark current to that joke.
But what I'm trying to say through this rambling, unfocused narrative is this: there have been several threads criticising people for talking about Rove, or for politicking, or for doing anything other than focusing on horror and sympathy at 7.7.
I say this as a deeply upset Londoner: Talk about whatever you like. I really don't mind. Talk about Rove. Talk about missing blondes. Talk about Gleneagles. Carry on, as you were. There's clearly no danger of a sympathy shortfall on DU - you've already shown that.
But I think there's no problem with business as usual. I, personally, would like a bit of normality.
I thought about you just now, before I read this. Well, London is ALL I can think about right now anyway. I love that city, I've been an Anglophile since I was a kid, and New York and London are my two favorite cities in the world, so this hurts my heart.
Stay safe, please. I know Londoners are tough, but....just.....I'm so sorry.
London and New York are basically twins, there's such affinity between them - a friend of mine who divides his time between London and Columbia Uni. treats them as a single city, NYLON.
11. Thank You & Cheers...I Thought About Past London Plights
The "stiff upper lip" of the British showed from all I saw and heard this morning. Surely, the disruption is bad, and we're still yet to see the full scope of what's occured, but the decorum and professionalism I saw and heard while listen around London Radio stations showed a city that can be shaken, but not stirred.
I also thought of how my own city, Chicago, would react to a similar incident...and how we would take a similar attitude. The last thing we'd want those who attack us is to see they've succeded.
Thank you so much for your report and I hope the ultimate victims of today's attack are all those who created the "war on terror" that is spinning more and more out of control.
It's been an emotional 24 hours. Those friends of mine I have been able to reach, although all upset and shaken, are chiefly concerned about how they're going to get home tonight. I think that's a good sign.
....and since you are showing a bit of that after a horrendous morning like todoay's......as always I know that London will trundle along and get on with it.
"Business as usual" described all of Britain during WWII, don't you think?
I have a story: My late father-in-law was 8 when WWII started, living with his widowed mother in a tiny village near Rugby. When he was about 9, he was dozing one evening on the sofa listening to the radio when a bomb was dropped on their cottage. He and his mother grabbed some belongings, got out and went to her sister's house. Next day, father-in-law went to school and his mother went to work, just like always. They were moved to another cottage locally (which had the distinction of once having been the home of Guy Fawkes - it's a listed building now). What happened, happened and it was obviously upsetting (to say the least!), but it didn't cause them to make any changes in their lives. It truly was "business as usual".
We have a photograph of the bombed house around somewhere, and from the way it looks it was a miracle they got out alive, let alone unscathed. But they did, and they kept going.
That's what will happen now. People will keep going here, grimly at first, but the British are resolute and will recover from this.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones, Taxloss.
No one, and I do mean no one, can protect us from the random crazies out there, whether they're organized terror groups or lone muggers, rapists, or killers.
London's response to crime, terror, war, and natural disaster has always been (and should always be) a beacon of sanity in times of tragedy for all of us.
Certainly the situation is stable now; it's over, there won't be any more. The entire South-east has been shut down (although I can still hear planes coming in to Heathrow, so it can't be that bad).
28. Recommending...we needed to hear this from a Brit...
I know from my love of British history that the British people will carry on and triumph, I've said it in other posts this morning on a few threads, and I said it in an email to the British Consulate in DC. You can read my other posts, so to you and your fellow Brits' I'll say this:
We love you all, pray for your safety, and stand in solidarity with you now and in the future. I apologize for the danger brought to your door from our "preselected" president. I, as an American, feel a sense of responsibility for the tragedy you are all going through, and my heart aches with the knowledge that our president continues to play into the hands of the most extreme elements of our world. Please pass on to all your aquaintance our deepest sympathies and prayers for justice.
I once made a photoshopped image for a Worth1000-contest. The theme was to illustrate a word. I chose "intrasigent" and based my piece on the bombing campaigns over London during WW2.
I dunno, I just started thinking about it now.
The picture is a bit big so I won't highjack this thread by posting the whole thing, but follow this link, and press "View full"
... but thankyou for the image. There are un-'shopped images that are equally nonchalent. Milkmen picking their way through rubble, people browsing in destroyed shops, that sort of thing.
I had the pleasure of visiting your wonderful city last week (returned home last Friday) and was heartbroken when I heard the news this morning. My family fell in love with London and we can't wait to visit again. Stay strong and keep us posted.
Edited on Thu Jul-07-05 08:25 AM by Mandate My Ass
I've visited London three times and the people I met there were so wonderfully welcoming that I felt like I was in my second home. The first time I went, the IRA was still a serious threat and for the first time in my life I thought about how it must feel to live with the constant dread that something violent might happen at any minute. It was something of a shock when I went to my first pub and saw a plaque on the wall that was a memorial to those who died in a bombing in that exact place years earlier. It was not only eye-opening in regard to how terrorists use sudden deadly violence to gain their ends, but also how beautifully Londoners handled it. One word sums it up: Character.
It saddens me that this happened to you and your city. Be safe and take care of yourself.
But we weren't living in constant dread - it was certainly a concern that shaped our society (as anyone who has tried to find a bin in a train or Tube station will know), but we weren't hiding under the bed, we were carrying on.
Over and over again, innocent people who want nothing more than a life filled with *ordinary* things -- good food, good friends, and peace -- are the victims of monsters who would destroy them for some kind of gain.
It's incredibly upsetting. I love London; I love the tube and the busses and the people.
But the Londoner's stamina and stature during a crisis is well known. Hopefully this will settle down and order restored, and I hope the remaining missing people will be found in good health.
50. My thoughts are with those in London right now...
and I have to say that my first reaction to the news, after the initial shock, was to think "If whoever's behind this expected it to discourage the British people, they badly miscalculated." London's seen the like of this before, and worse, and carried on magnificently.
it would be rather interesting to see him do something a bit more current-events influenced (even though Transmetropolitan came awfully close in some ways); some of his work is oddly reminiscent of Swift, I'd say...vicious satire, but with heart and passion behind it...definitely something we need, these days.
I daresay the political gears are grining. But what clearer signal could there be that four years of war has done noting but kill? I'm sure my fellow Brits will see it that way.
58. Thank you for all that you said. I submit that
it is actually healthy to talk about other topics, to engage in cynicism and gallows humor, when confronted with horrible events such as those that have befallen London today. Humans can only bear so much grim reality at one time. And what can we in the U.S. really say? Only that we are sorry, that this is a terrible day, that we wish you all the best, that we pray for you.
59. My prayers and thoughts are with you and the rest of London
Stay safe, and stay sane friend. I'm glad to hear that you and yours are alright. We will be talking this over a lot for the next while, but we will also speak of other things. We will try to bring you some normality. But hey, keep up the dark humor, I understand it well, it is the only way to keep the chin up when the world is going to hell.
So again, please stay safe, and stay sane, not just for your own sake, but for those who you hold dear. We will be here for you.
66. Taxloss, that is one of the most honest, most poignant
most honest, most heartfelt post I've read in a long, long time. You know well that our thoughts are with you as your thoughts were with us when we needed them.
My son and daughter in law live in Watford, just outside of London. I am awaiting some word that they are safe at work and did not go in to London for any reason today. I spoke with them last weekend and don't remember any plans to go in this week. My son doesn't go in during the week usually but my daughter in law does on occasion.
My heart goes out to everyone there! I was there visiting last year. I am of course, worried until I hear they are safe.
That is a poster I found from WW11 in Lewes. I may put it in my window today. I lived in London for three yrs.96-99 and return every year. I love Britain and it's people very much. I'm so so sorry for what has happened. I'm crying with you.
My 85 y/o father piloted a B-17 out of Kimbolton, England, 1944. Since being stationed in the UK, he has had respect and admiration for the people there. He asked me to pass along his (and mine) best wishes to all the people of England.
73. Mr Taxloss,horrified at what they've done. deepest sympathies to Londoners
supposed to visit London next month - and I suppose that's part of what they wanted, to hurt the British economy by scaring off the tourist trade, as they did here in the US.
God bless and keep those who have passed on in this and the injured.
I posted your words in my blog so that others - not on DU - might get an idea of what true courage is. It has been years since I have permitted myself to cry but reading what you have to say makes my eyes prickle. You are a great people, you Brits; I am proud to have many of you as friends. I wish you well and know I need not wish you strength - you have that in abundance.
Much love and many prayers. I am emailing with a friend in London as I post this, and will contact my family in Belfast and ask them to pass along good wishes to my family living in London as well.
My prayers go out to you and the people of the UK. I have visited there many times and share a love of that beautiful place.
I am trying to get in touch with my cousin there, so far no luck. Just reached his sister here in Los Angeles. She did not know about the bombings and so we are trying to reach him at work. He lives in SW London but works in Central London.
We love London, and have visited many, many times. We usually stay around Russell Square, so naturally we were horrified to hear that this area was targeted.
I was in London on 9/11, and will never forget how caring the Brits were to my husband and myself on this awful day. First reaction is just total disbelief, then anger.
People of London are in our hearts and minds today, we are all stunned -- but unfortunately not surprised, our idiot pResident has roped many allies into this mess. Yeah Bu$h, you've made the world safer.
When I got up this morning and turned on CNN and saw what was happening, it was no different in my heart than if it had been happening right down the street.
115. bless you and bless the brits..you are in my prayers!
i wish i could feel this wasn't just another deflection from the * cabal...i wish i could feel this wasn't my own government doing this for the deflection away from rove and cheney and * going down..but i can not help but feel that..
but that does not and i have no intentions of saying that takes away from the devastating effects of this attack on your city or your people...or you..it is a terrible feeling to see this happen where you live..nothing could be worse..and i send my condolences and my prayers to you..and your countrymen..
bless you all!!
from a flight attendant of one of the airlines involved in ny 9/11 ny based..retired after 9/11 because i no longer trust my government.
Yes it has - and survived. Terrorism will never be fully defeated. We must accept the fact that as long as there is hate, as long as there is jealousy, as long as there is poverty, as long as some people feel left our, and yes, as long as we have fundamentalist religions - certain their "god" is the only real god, there will be violence like this. When it happens the rest of the world needs to come together and share our concern and love.
Hang tough, Taxloss, you and your fellow citizens have our support and sympathy.
all a part of the human race... except those who perpetrated this heinous crime against innocents...but for the last week or so i have been expecting something to happen...i thought it would be the old ship they were steaming to the staits of hormuse...but don't underestimate scotland yard to come up with the culprits...i don't think the yard is a lapdog like our own justice.
With the fortitude and practicality that London and her citizens have ALWAYS exemplified, I predict that London will stand long after the rest of the world comes apart at the seams.
Love to you yours and my deepest condolences to anyone touched by this horrible act. I wish I could do something--anything--to ease this painful time for you.
I was worried about you and our other British correspondents this morning.
May I quote one of your statesmen?
"Some historians will urge that admiration should be given to a Government of honourable high-minded men who bore provocation with exemplary forbearance and piled up to their credit all the Christian virtues, especially those which command electioneering popularity....
I hope it will also be written how hard all this was upon the ordinary common folk who fill the casualty lists.
Under-represented in Government and Parliamentary institutions, they confide their safety to the Ministers and the Prime Minister of the day. They have just cause of complaint if their guides or rulers so mismanage their affairs that in the end they are thrust into the worst of wars with the worst of chances."
(Unpublished passage from Churchill's "The Gathering Storm")
133. It breaks my heart to think that the people of London are...
suffering because of something that my government brought on them. On behalf of the remaining sane part of the United States, I express our sincere regret that this has happened to such a beautiful city with such wonderful people.
Please don't give up on us Americans! Someday we'll be worthy of your loyalty and friendship again.
We all know the spirit of Londoners in good times and bad. I know the "Blitz" story well and so does every school child in London. The physical reminders and exhibits are impressed upon them, perhaps this is how British spirit can be upbeat even in troubling times. I know the Edgware & Bayswater areas well...an area with so much International flavor. A working mans neighborhood and a place for lodgings for many American & overseas college students. I hope & pray none of your friends were hurt.....and taking a cue from you we will carry on a business as usual.
The last time I visited London, St. Paul's had out pictures of it during the Blitz and the guide there spoke of how people would wait with buckets of sand to douse the fires from the bombs. The spirit of those people is alive in you.
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Heartfelt Post, thank you and be safe.
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Thank you.
