Some might have said I was lucky. I was virtually unaffected by the bombings on 7th July in London. Apart, that is, from the relatively minor inconvenience of a longer commute to work. But coming out from the sticks into Hyde Park Corner, the bombs didn’t happen to be on my route. Therefore, there was no real luck involved. Lucky would be being in the middle of the explosions and escaping with your life in tact.
Despite the apparent peace of London, I grew up with the IRA bombs in London. In particular, in 1996, the IRA planted two bombs under Hammersmith Bridge, which is just outside my school and a route I took every morning and afternoon. In 2001, the Real IRA planted a bomb in Ealing. Exactly a week before at the same time in the evening I had been sitting in the pub outside of which the bomb went off. And, of course, no one can forget the scenes of devastation seen in the Baltic Exchange and Bishopsgate bombings in the early 90s.
The truth is, I’m not afraid of terrorist attacks. I can’t let them disrupt my life. Last Friday morning, I was up and off to work as usual. Only differences were that I had to change at Acton Town as there was a shuttle service only on the Piccadilly Line, and the train terminated at my destination, Hyde Park Corner. But they can’t win.
My heart goes out to those who have lost someone, has been injured or knows someone who was injured in the attacks of 7th July. Don’t seek recompense through revenge. It only stoops to the levels of the terrorists themselves.
Edit: Monday, July 11, 2005 @ 04:48:00 PM
In light of Sim’s comments, T-shirts are on sale at http://www-us.flickr.com/photos/panfrutti/sets/561334/