'It's up to you'
I am just watching my old friend Tom Bradby reporting on Blair's latest stand. Apparently he can invade Afghanistan (twice?!), topple Saddam under false pretences and leave both countries with failing infrastructures, dwindling resources and suffering citizens, yet the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, fired by his actions, is ‘up to’ the Muslim community to sort out. I am almost speechless.
Where has that man’s understanding of the word ‘responsibility’ vanished to?
’It’s up to you”?!
How is that approach remotely constructive? It’s ‘up to’ all of us and spectacularly HIM. It’s up to me, my neighbour, my family and friends and every person I have ever sat next to on the tube. The rise in strength of the Jihadist’s cause in this country had been fuelled by our foreign policy. We have a fundamental responsibility, each and every one of us, to strive to unite our increasingly polarised society. He cannot wash his hands of this, it is not solely up to them.
How can they do it alone? We need to work together to build bridges, understanding and, most importantly, trust. It needs to be a 200% COMBINED EFFORT. The horrors of 7th July 2005 should never be inflicted upon another innocent person again. Tragically they will be, they occur every day in Iraq, increasingly in Afghanistan, in Israel and Palestine and around the globe.
The only way it can be stopped is to understand why it happened in the first place. What drove four, seemingly integrated, intelligent young men, born and bred in this country to blow themselves up on the tube, nearly a year ago, with the specific intent of randomly killing innocent people. I am honest enough to admit that I don’t know. Tony Blair would do well to do the same. But he, more than I, SHOULD know. And if he doesn’t he should be doing his damdest to work it out. ‘It’s up to you’ does not strike me as a man trying to understand.
I have just watched the best football match I have ever had the privilege of seeing. The spirit and perseverance of both sides was inspirational. Last night I was interviewed with three other Kings Cross United girls to talk about the positive aspects of the last year. That too was inspirational. These two events contributed in bringing me out of the terrifying hell into which I was descending yesterday. Tony Blair has done a damn fine job of quashing my newfound high spirits. I was going to take a break from 7/7 tonight. Watch football, drink wine & try to be my old self for a moment without the interruptions of the world's press. I watched the news and I had to write.
‘It’s up to you’ indeed. How DARE he?
Where has that man’s understanding of the word ‘responsibility’ vanished to?
’It’s up to you”?!
How is that approach remotely constructive? It’s ‘up to’ all of us and spectacularly HIM. It’s up to me, my neighbour, my family and friends and every person I have ever sat next to on the tube. The rise in strength of the Jihadist’s cause in this country had been fuelled by our foreign policy. We have a fundamental responsibility, each and every one of us, to strive to unite our increasingly polarised society. He cannot wash his hands of this, it is not solely up to them.
How can they do it alone? We need to work together to build bridges, understanding and, most importantly, trust. It needs to be a 200% COMBINED EFFORT. The horrors of 7th July 2005 should never be inflicted upon another innocent person again. Tragically they will be, they occur every day in Iraq, increasingly in Afghanistan, in Israel and Palestine and around the globe.
The only way it can be stopped is to understand why it happened in the first place. What drove four, seemingly integrated, intelligent young men, born and bred in this country to blow themselves up on the tube, nearly a year ago, with the specific intent of randomly killing innocent people. I am honest enough to admit that I don’t know. Tony Blair would do well to do the same. But he, more than I, SHOULD know. And if he doesn’t he should be doing his damdest to work it out. ‘It’s up to you’ does not strike me as a man trying to understand.
I have just watched the best football match I have ever had the privilege of seeing. The spirit and perseverance of both sides was inspirational. Last night I was interviewed with three other Kings Cross United girls to talk about the positive aspects of the last year. That too was inspirational. These two events contributed in bringing me out of the terrifying hell into which I was descending yesterday. Tony Blair has done a damn fine job of quashing my newfound high spirits. I was going to take a break from 7/7 tonight. Watch football, drink wine & try to be my old self for a moment without the interruptions of the world's press. I watched the news and I had to write.
‘It’s up to you’ indeed. How DARE he?
posted by Holly Finch at
10:51 PM
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