I'm English, okay?

[puddingcat]

So I found out around 1.30, when minspi let me know that maybe the REM concert wouldn't be. Watched the news open mouthed for half an hour or so, went back to patchwork. Later turned out trains would be running again, later still that REM's just been postponed for a week.

*Shrugs*

I was in the Marks & Spencers in Manchester 20 minutes before the IRA blew it up. I couldn't get into the office on the following Monday because of structural damage. I was worried about potential secondary thingies then, but nothing happened. I lived in Moss Side the year after whatsisname was shot in the Chinese restaurant (my local, as it happens). I lived in Longsight the year the gangs moved over there & started dealing in crack as well as in guns.

Al Qaeda (if it is them) haven't done secondary attacks before (afaik). Seems a bit daft to start panicking in case they do this time. Follow sensible safety protocols, yes; run around wailing & praying to Saint Tony to Save Us From Teh Evil, um - No.

I'm surprised it didn't happen before. I'm surprised more people didn't die. I'm sorry for the families & friends of those people who did die. I'm particularly sorry for poor old ukmonty (well, actually, his liver, since he'll no doubt be destressing in the most booze-intensive way possible).

But, really. It's just a few bombs.

Comments

Re: just a few bombs

[puddingcat.livejournal.com]

Ok, I'm a little wary since your journal has no friends or apparent entries, but anyway:

I can understand *immediate* shock & panic; Manchester was the same. My point was that al Qaeda don't have a history of *repeated* attacks a few days or even hours, later. There have been a few closely spaced devastating explosions then nothing for a year or more.

The IRA, otoh, have a history of striking randomly and repeatedly. Spending a lot of time in and near London in the 80s and 90s, the "omg what if there's a bomb?" level of ongoing worry was much higher than it has been over the last few years, even after 9/11.

I'm travelling into London tonight (into Euston) and I'm really not bothered at all about more explosions. *If* there were more packages, I'm totally confident that the emergency services & intelligence etc will have dealt with them. I was more afraid returning into Manchester after that bomb, since it wasquite possible the IRA would have secondary devices.

Most people I know in London feel the same (see zenmeisterin for a particularly good explanation). The news reports, by mid-afternoon, had started to be reporters using terms like "devastation" and "crippled" while people caught up in it were much more phlegmatic.

So basically (random thoughts aside), I can understand the immediate panic, but I'm not in the slightest bit surprised that London as a whole is carrying on as normally as possible today.