My heart goes out to the people of London right now, but..

[johnnie]

This is a political site. What happened today in London is tragic and sickening, but terrorism is part of politics. There are people here who have opinions on what the possible explanations could be on these attacks and they are voicing their opinions.
If you go back and read the archives from DU on 9-11 you will see that many people were expressing their political views concerning those attacks. I'm pretty certain that the majority here at DU are not trivializing today's attacks, but they also need to express their emotions and how they believe they tie into the politics of the day.
As some have posted on here already, this is going on over in Iraq every single day and the attacks hardly get mentioned at all. There are men and women from the "coalition" dying every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, but those reports have also seemed to be swept aside.
As I stated, today's attacks are a horrible tragedy and should not be looked at as "just part of life", but DU cannot stop being what it is because of those attacks. There might be some opinions that you will not agree with, or you might think are too bizarre, but that is what goes on here. It is not being disrespectful or rude to our fellow members from London, it is just what Democratic Underground is about... politics and a place to share our views with each other.

[sui generis]

1. to split the hair a little further

when it happens to a western nation we seem to take a lot more notice of it, even here on DU, than when it happens in one of those dusty pajama-wearing places.

Not that we're bad people - just an observation of a dynamic.

So . . . what are they running by us that this news cycle is hiding?????

Let's keep on top of the fast-ball they're going to throw that this was meant to distract from.

[getmeouttahere]

5. That's right, sui generis....

and I'll state the obvious but remind everyone that innocents are killed in Iraq every day...one of things I despise most about all of this is the lack of regard for the lives of those who are not Americans or part of this so called coalition.

[linazelle]

6. Exactly. Sort of like the missing-white-girl syndrome donchathink? nt

[sui generis]

13. oh my god I got crucified for that

I'm still bitter.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. My sister is in London

She has been there a week. I tried to call her but the lines are jammed or broken. Now I am waiting to get an email from her.

Somehow reading that 'terrrorism is part of politics' is not very comforting to me right now.

[freeplessinseattle]

3. Is being on DU comforting?

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. It is a far better source of news

than CNN et al

[lebkuchen]

4. CNNI is saying that phone and cell lines are down in many areas

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I figured

damn

[Bouncy Ball]

7. Don't read those threads.

Or log off. I hope your sister is ok!!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Thanks I am just here

reading the news. Waiting for the phone to ring.

[johnnie]

8. I'm sorry and I hope that you get a hold of her soon

As I said, I am not trivializing what happened and I was not trying to comfort anyone. The majority of people here are intelligent enough to know that this attack is not something to throw aside, but although there is always a lot of support and compassion flowing through DU, there are still people who come here to discuss politics.
Please keep us updated on your sister. My thoughts are with you and her.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Thanks johnnie

I really think she is probably okay. She is staying at a cottage outside of London. But she does a lot of sightseeing. She is over there every summer; her husband's company has an office there and he spends about half his time in London. He came home yesterday but she is staying for 2 more weeks. There was some art exhibit she wanted to see in London . . .

I hope she wasn't going today.

[medeak]

37. son just returned

and I was up all night thinking of him still being there (took the tube every day) and how crazed I would be. Thinking of you!

[proud2BlibKansan]

40. Thanks

Still no word from her but phones are tied up.

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. OMG, I hope your sister is OK!

I can't imagine how you must feel. Positive thoughts! She'll be alright!

[proud2BlibKansan]

41. We believe she is okay

She is outside of London in a rural area. Unless she decided to go into London today then she is okay. Her son - my nephew - said he didn't think she would have been on a train that early in the morning and during rush hour to go into London.

But I sure wish she would call. My mother is worried sick.

[theHandpuppet]

9. Thank you!

Well-spoken and reasoned.

[wurzel]

15. Every day when these bombs go off in Baghdad this is how Iraqis must feel.

And they feel it every day. It would be comforting to think some good can come of it. But I doubt it.

[DFWdem]

16. "Terrorism is a part of politics"?

To which political party do you belong? And I have to call BS on your assertion that bombs and deaths in Iraq barely get a mention, unless you call being on the front page of Yahoo, CNN.com, etc. on a daily basis insignificant coverage. Of course the attacks in London will get more press because London is not (or was not) a war zone. That doesn't make the deaths in Iraq any less heinous, but it is understandable that these attacks would get a deluge of media coverage.

[johnnie]

17. So georgie's "war on terror" has nothing to do with politics?

War is not political? georgies whole presidential career is based on terrorism and you say it's not political. OK.

[DFWdem]

19. Not the point

You say terrorism is a part of politics as though to say, "Oh well, no big deal, they're just expressing their disgust at the policies of the country". Prior to 2001, would you have said terrorism is a part of politics? I contend that terrorism should not be accepted as a part of politics in a civilized society. You appear to be condoning the opposite point of view.

[johnnie]

21. You read me wrong

I was saying that when these things happen, people will discuss them with political views because terrorism has to do with politics.
If you read my post again you should see that I was not trivializing what happened.

[sui generis]

18. eh - I think you're misinterpreting

bombs and deaths in Iraq don't get the same hue and cry of coverage - it's a fact. It doesn't make us bad people to observe that the dynamic really IS different.

Impugning someone's party affiliation based on a single sentence is combative and hurtful. Be nice.

Republicans have used terrorism and fear of terrorism for political gain at every possible opportunity. It is a tool of politics in this administration.

[DFWdem]

20. Sorry if it was misinterpreted

I didn't mean to impugn the poster's party affiliation. To me, the only organizations that say terrorism is a normal part of politics are groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. My question of to which political party do you belong was tongue in cheek, and I apologize if it was interpreted otherwise.

[CWebster]

25. So, exactly how many Iraqis have died?

Not even important enough to count.

[Generator]

42. That hit me in the gut

It's like so much to comprehend that we can't do it. So much grief..I watched an old NOVA two days ago..8 year old Iraqi girl died of burns and malnutrition..our medical people tried to save her..she died before she could be airlifted to America..just one of so many...it stays with me..and makes me think that war can never be the answer..oh when will mankind evolve?

[Misunderestimator]

22. Well said, johnnie.

[johnnie]

23. Thank you K

I don't want to use your name on here, but Misunderestimator is too long to type.. .

[Misunderestimator]

24. LOL, but you just typed it.

You can use K or MisU or &^%#$ or whatever you like.

[Taxloss]

28. What about "Missy"?

Only joking.

[Misunderestimator]

29. Bwaahaaahaa!

YOU! (You better be joking.)

[Taxloss]

31. Of course I'm joking.

Thank you for the first real smile I've had today.

[Misunderestimator]

32. Yes, I forgot... you are in the belly of the beast there.

How are you holding up? Everyone you know ok?

[Taxloss]

34. Everyone seems to be fine. Services are beginning to come back on line.

Telephone is back; it was out for hours. Mainline rail services are resuming. Flights are resuming. The Tube will be buggered for a while in part, but 90% of London will be back to normal tomorrow - if not more.

[johnnie]

35. I'm glad to see that you seem OK

My thoughts are with you guys today. Take care.

[Misunderestimator]

36. Glad to hear that.

It must be pretty disturbing. Keep safe.

[asthmaticeog]

26. Well stated, my friend.

While some of the more irresponsible and paranoid speculation has been trivializing (and highly irritating to me), DU is going to be what DU is, as it should be.

[johnnie]

27. Thanks man

Some of it is irritating to me also, but it is DU. The vast majority of the people here are compassionate and caring people who are not trivializing these attacks.

[Brian_Expat]

30. There's a difference between "analysis" and. . .

. . . manipulating the death and suffering to promote some crackpot theory for personal political gain.

[johnnie]

33. I understand

Some people will turn anything into a "political gain", but most people here don't. There were just a lot of posts that seemed to be saying not to talk politics on a day like today and my intention was to say that this was political.
My thoughts are with the people in London today.

[stickdog]

39. Exactly. That would be like using the crackpot "Osama's planes did it all

while we were sleeping" theory to start a never ending war on a noun!

I would hope that we on DU would rise above that sort of demeaning demagoguery.