There Is A Light And It Never Goes Out.
Posted: June 4, 2017 Filed under: Catastrophes, Conspiracies, Funereal, London Places, Markets, The Thames | Tags: Borough Market, London Bridge Station 3 Comments
Tate Modern, Bankside, 2002. © David Secombe.
A Londoner writes, 4 June, 2017:
Obligatory Post-Terrorism Status
Last night I felt some level of fear for the first time with these attacks, simply because I knew a lot of people within the direct vicinity of where an attack was apparently occurring at the time. It was a weird feeling, and I resent that I was made to feel it, but I think while it’s normal for people to feel fear in these situations (well-founded or not), the important thing is the interpretation of, and reaction to, said fear.
There are a myriad of threats far greater than terrorism, including mundane things like the fact that around 40 people die every year from TVs falling on them. However, the nature of these events and the subsequent media frenzy sends people into a state of panic. I’ve already seen enough people online calling for all muslims to be deported, or sent to Guantanamo Bay, or to close our borders. These people are terrified – they fear for their lives, and they are letting that fear drive them to these statements about urgent action and retaliation. This is the manifestation of the “terror” caused by terrorism. It means it was a success, when by all measures it really shouldn’t be. These people are fragile little flowers, quivering in the hot winds of the tabloid.
Banksy stencil, Park St., SE1, 2003. © David Secombe.
The way to deal with this shit is to carry on with your life as normal. Disregard the absurd actions of a handful of fucking nutters as exactly that. Don’t be a fucking pussy. Go buy a grilled cheese sandwich in Borough Market. Take a walk along London Bridge, hold your head high and realise there’s nothing to be afraid of, since the simple act of walking down the street is literally more dangerous than terrorists. You’re a fucking daredevil.
London Bridge Station, 2003. © David Secombe.
Text © Emil Smith. Special thanks to Katy Evans Bush.
The London Column 
Thank you for this! Quite right….Let’s not play nurture to their nature
Bravo for sharing your insightful thoughts when calmness is what we need in the centre of the storm.
Entirely agree with this post. I do feel that the word ‘terrorism’ is glorifying these actions though. I think it’s more akin to murder. I also think the perpetrators should not be named or their cause mentioned. They are mentally unstable, brainwashed and isolated from the mainstream. I think a big helping of stoicism is what’s needed. London and its people have faced far much worse before, we will overcome this I know, fear not.