chasing rabbits stateside

While I was waiting for my (delayed) flight to leave San Francisco I phoned Shana, she broke the news to me of the London bombing. I had never felt so far from home, so disconnected from ‘real’ life. I have so many friends who live in London or who make regular trips there that I wouldn’t have known who to phone first, as it was I had run out of cash, the phones wouldn’t take my credit cards and I didn’t have a mobile phone. Having spent the best part of 3 months in such an enormous country the UK felt like the very small island that it actually is. In the UK my generation and those before me have been brought up familiar with the word ‘terrorism’, the IRA made sure of that, so although we are shocked and outraged at the event itself, the idea of terrorism doesn’t send us into a state of panic and over reaction. We don’t resort to the kind of fortress mentality that only serves to piss off further and make more determined those with a grudge. I had no idea how the powers that be were reacting; my only hope is that that UK doesn’t pull up its draw bridge. I have made so many friends during my time in the US that I have a greater sense of internationalism than ever before. I hate to think that the response to this horrendous event will result in the loss of freedom (and I use that word lightly) to travel the world over visiting friends and loved ones. Pulling the duvet over heads, drawing the curtains and refusing to trust anything or anyone that is different will isolate us from our friends, as well as those who consider themselves to be our enemies and it appears right now we need all the friends we can get. Although, that’s not the ‘British’ way, and besides which, as much as he might think he is, Bush isn’t our leader !!!!!!!!

posted by KP @ 10:41 PM