For many years I have been a believer in 'looking up.' This is because whatever is happening on the ground around at the moment the sky above continues on its daily routine. The sun rises and makes its slow way across the sky brightening and warming the land. (Those living in Edinburgh will no doubt find this difficult to believe) Had we been born in Egypt we would notice this daily except every 16 to 20 years when excessive rain will fall and change our lives for a week or so and this sunshine would affect us in ways I cannot explain having been brought up under a gray misty cloud!
Today I noticed the bright blue sky smeared with distant white cloud high above stretching for miles across the heavens. The starkness of the trees minus their covering of leaves against the bright blue was a notable feature for me.
High in the branches of the trees starlings chirped and argued with one another happily as is their way, unseen behind the blue stars and planets continued their daily journey hidden to us, and while we fought to the death for bargains in overcrowded shops the world continued to turn and those of us not seeking bargains smirked to one another at the thought.
Whatever small issues we have the world keeps turning.
ISIS in an effort to prove they are still alive and kicking have attacked a mosque containing many of an Islamic creed they despise. The attack, featuring around 40 gunmen, killed at least 250 and wounded many more. The Egyptian Sinai has been dangerous for many years and I suspect the army will now be sent in with great force and little consideration for human rights to deal effectively with the problem. This will be a long hard battle with consequences unknown and a great many will suffer.
Some cynical types would claim that the Bush/Blair needless attack, inspired by Rumsfeld and Cheney, was the originator of much of the trouble in the middle east, they might be right. Maybe it is better to say they failed to handle the situation correctly or with any understanding of the area in which they operated so confidently and allowed such a situation to develop. Now ISIS have been forced out of Iraq we will see them rising, possibly for only a short time, here there and everywhere for the next few years. The west has failed the middle east and we will feel the effects.
Zimbabwe now has a new president informing them of the need to 'engage the world' (That is 'borrow money') and 'remove corruption' (Not counting his) and 'create jobs' for the young (Fat chance). We look to see whether a politicians promises will bring about a better nation or whether the usual suspects continue to line their pockets and leave the people to suffer. It s to be hoped the people this time make a stand and find changes that benefit them all and not just a few. Interesting to see most of those in charge are well aged and the nation mostly young, how will that work?
Panic they say in Oxford Street as claims of gunshots are heard. The brave Londoners run for cover!
"No shots" say the police.
Could it be the brave Londoners are panicking? Tsk!
The 7:40 is heading for Waterloo and as it Passes Parsons Green a man stands up and begins to read from the bible and speak to the packed commuters on the train. He mentions, so we are told repeatedly, 'homosexuality as a sin,' and 'Death is not the end.'
At this the brave Londoners began to panic.
A woman screamed and several began to prize open the doors and jump out onto the trackside. The driver realising the danger called in and the power on the line, all electric on this line, was turned off ensuring the passengers (sorry 'customers') were safe and the entire line brought to a halt and hours of delays ensued.
As panic grew a man asked the preacher to stop and the guard arrived to speak to the man. As the train continued, some power must have been returned, into Wimbledon he was spoken to calmly by the police. No charges were brought, the guard congratulated on his approach and the many users of the railways out of the UK's busiest commuter station inconvenienced.
Well MR Khan I think you mistook the attitudes of those commuters hurtling in at 80 miles an hour yesterday morning. They have not given the impression that they are 'Not broken' but have offered a glimpse of people either naive, ignorant or plain stupid!
I accept that for most the bible is not a book they have read, nor have most been forced to attend a Sunday School of some kind when young and as such the nation is clearly bible ignorant. However most understand the basics of Christian teaching, most in London have come across a 'preacher' in the streets, on a bus or train or in a large complex at one time or another, how come this lot failed to understand? The pictures on offer do not show uneducated people leaving the train, a common lot of commuters only, yet they open the doors and flee! A brief read of the good book will often force fear into people when the truth about judgement appears, many refuse to accept this and prefer the safety of the life we keep in our heads rather than allow eternity to break in however that was not happening here. This was a confusion between the bible and the Koran. These people could not understand that this man was not going to blow them up, his words spoke to them like ISIS had appeared in front of them! The ignorance displayed takes some beating in my view.
There is another reason for the panic and this can be traced back to Tony Blair and the deliberate attempt to increase awareness of Islamic terrorism. During the years of the IRA Provos and their bombing campaign many bombs were left in stations and other public places yet the government propaganda never encouraged panic, indeed the opposite was the case but not now.
Blair even had 'Ferret tanks,' totally useless against terrorist attacks, placed outside Heathrow Airport just for a publicity stunt, what a waste of an army that was! Today the fear has been raised both by government offerings and screaming headlines in the 'yellow press.'
Of course there is a need to be wary of individual or organised ISIS type attacks at the moment but hysteria is not an answer. This generation is not the one that either lived through a war or grew up in the years after one, no this generation has no concept of 'Getting on with it as there is no other choice' nor do they have the ability to be calm in difficult situations. I would be far from calm in a bomb situation myself but I suggest most of us would react without panic if a preacher, even one with a koran stood up and spoke. Two world wars, a couple of depressions and Margaret Thatcher yet let someone quote scripture and panic sets in. What a world.
Is it just me or have things gone over the top regarding this Paris outrage?
I am not changing my avatars to include French flags, I am not weeping and wailing regarding the various Islamist attacks. I wonder why?
I notice the papers are once again filling the page with a variety of items regarding this week old story. The news vendors appear to consider nothing else, even the usual slappers and royals are being pushed down the page and all media appear to be totally behind an onslaught on Daesh in Syria.
One TV reporter appears to break down during his report, Andrew Neil a famous political interviewer and a man with few fans launches an outburst against Daesh and is applauded for this.
Hmmm.
The attack in Paris was not pleasant, neither was the bomb that killed 43 in Lebanon that got little mention nor the one in Nigeria which killed 42. In fact many 'outrages' have taken place in various parts of the world and not all of them get much of a mention. Maybe some are worth more than others to the media.
Let us take a look at recent history. Since what we call 9/11 lots of Islamic attacks have been seen, many happened before that, most also kill Muslims and those tend not to be given much space in the western media. Several attacks in a variety f places have been launched, some by organised groups many by individuals of low intellect, some with high intellect of course. Many more will be seen wolrdwide.
However this is not new.
Since 1945 when peace reigned the Cold War saw 45 million killed in Africa, Asia and South America. The Northern Ireland conflict saw 3000 dead and some still wish to continue this war. Why are we so neurotic about Daesh?
Down through the years terrible slaughters have occurred. The United States killed thousands of Filipinos during their take over of the islands, many thousands of Indians were killed in the States during the 19th century and the growth of the British Empire saw a willingness to shoot anyone who stood in the way.
We have ignored two world wars by the way.
Each century since Abel was slain by Cain has seen murders both individual and national. Large groups have taken over and enslaved smaller ones, nations have murdered and terrorised others constantly over the years and on many occasions terror was part of the war. Guerrilla war entails much violence with men, women and children suffering with both sides using terror to get the victory so why are we so upset about Daesh!
Vlearly government influence is behind the vast publicity we see in the media, it is not just shock at the killing. Fear that it could happen where we are is strong and those in big cities especially fear. The stable peaceful world we all think we ought to have is endangered and confusion reigns.
However we have no right to peace, the majority of the world has trouble of some sort down through the years. Peace and security is in fact rarer than conflict. Human nature, as I keep saying, will never change! Since Cain slew Abel human nature has been rotten and such outrages based on greed, politics or selfishness will always occur. Only Jesus can save us and he was crucified by us!
There is an unhealthy aspect to this reverence for Paris, something about our reaction is not right. I am reminded of the attitudes in 1914 when those who disagreed with the war were regarded as traitors, the nation came under a wave of war that removed free thought and consideration of what was right. We are doing the same today.
Something is wrong worldwide with our fear of Daesh, something does not ring true.
