I've just got back from the two minutes' silence at Aldgate. Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of people there. It's really eerie when you have a large crowd standing in total silence.
Anyway, there are still a couple ways in which the terrorists can have some measure of success. One is if there is an anti-Muslim backlash. That would be handing some of what the extremists want on a plate. They want Muslims to be isolated from everyone else.
The other is if some ill considered anti-terrorism makes its way onto the statute books. Personally, I doubt that there are really any changes needed to the law, but if any are made, I hope that there's nothing too draconian or knee-jerk. If our rights are impinged, then the bombers will have succeeded in affecting our lives in a way that I think they shouldn't - and history shows us that draconian measures like internment are counter-productive.
To his credit, Charles Clarke isn't using the attack as an excuse for garner more support for the ID card bill. Let's hope it fails...
Posted to The Big Room by Simon Brunning at July 14, 2005 12:37 PM> I hope that there's nothing too draconian or knee-jerk.
me too, but, erm, you do know this government?
Fat chance of a reasoned, considered response.
"A few more police powers" more like.
1984 anyone?
Simon Hi - just seen your comments from about your day on Thursday. I'm pleased you are safe, and I know the pub crawl goes against your nature :-). I arrived in Spain (for my Stag weekend) about an hour after the explosions to recieve a text about what had happened from Ali, who I called immediately. I wanted to turn round and go home, not because my family were in any danger, but just to give them a hug. I posted on Steves website earlier that I hate being dictated to about how, when and what I observe a silence for - but I wanted to be out in the crowd today, showing defiance at terrorism. I went out to the CU building and there were hundreds of people in absolute silence. I doubt the terrorists care that we stood in memory and defiance but hey, I wanted to be there. I was in Madrid when they did the same last year - it was very moving, and I for one am glad that we did the same today. It won't stop the next bombing, it won't bring back the dead, in fact I don't know what it will do, but I'm glad I played my miniscule part in whatever it is we did.
Posted by: Pete on July 14, 2005 02:08 PM