So apparently some group of you claimed responsibility for the attacks in London today on some jihad website. We take everything you say with a grain of salt, because we know you LOVE to claim responsibility for EVERYthing, it makes you feel good about yourself or something (when the relationship with the great love of my life broke up I think you even took responsibility for THAT), but one thing struck me about the message, and it's something that's been on my mind.
You seem to believe that the people of England would run cowering away from this coordinated series of attacks. You seem to think that they are a soft and cowardly people who would flee at the first sign of confrontation.
I think it's time for a history lesson. I realize that you are uninterested in infidel history. This has been the case even during the glory days of Islam, during the West's dark ages, when you were far ahead of us in terms of education, infrastructure, science, astronomy, everything. You flourished. Europe floundered. European countries would send diplomats and scientists and envoys to your countries, so that they could study in your universities, use your astronomical observatories, and write home about the customs of your land. You all never returned the favor. Because we were infidels. What could you learn from infidels?
Perhaps that was true in the Dark Ages, but it is no longer true, and you are ignorant now of reality.
Well, I am here to tell you that you are WAY off in your estimation of the British character. Are you aware of even the FRACTION of stuff these people have endured on their own soil?
Now I have only picked out a couple of the most blatant examples (see the posts below this one), and I am sure some of my Anglophile readers can add more.
But if you think for one second that the Brits are a people who crumble easily, I have got to say: You are out of your goddamned mind.
There's this thing? It's called History? Maybe you should check it out.
Posted by sheilaBut... but... it worked so well in Spain....
Posted by: Big Dan at July 7, 2005 10:28 PMOh God, terrorist, please don't make me put together a pictorial of why it DID work in Spain!! I mean ... I WILL, but I'm tired right now. It'll have to wait.
Posted by: red at July 7, 2005 10:53 PMOne could only wish they would actually read this. This is also the most intelligent coverage I've heard all day. Hmmmm (how DO you know so much about so many things? I am very impressed.). Thanks for the wonderful tribute to the resiliance of the British! Makes me proud of my kin...
Posted by: EEP at July 7, 2005 11:16 PMThe unfortunate and sad fact is that they will never care about what we think and that we care an awful lot about what they think.
Goodnight all.
Posted by: Cullen at July 7, 2005 11:48 PMCullen - I'm not really a big girl for saying "never". It doesn't sit well with me. At all. Too many things that seemed like a "never" situation have morphed into something new.
So nope. No "never" for this gal.
Posted by: red at July 7, 2005 11:51 PMEEP - I'm a history buff. I have FAR too many books for the small-ness of my apartment. Betsy H. can attest to that, since she's been here! :)
Posted by: red at July 8, 2005 6:45 AMSheila,
I like absolutes (and Absolut, but that's another matter all together). By defining my extremes I can comfortably sit somewhere in the middle. Well, right of center most often.
I think that's what makes exceptions to the "never" so shocking. What we had assumed to an absolute changes. Just because I've held the belief that something will never happen, doesn't mean I can't change my mind to accept the reality of a changing world. Change or die, yeah?
But, in the interest of rhetoric, or to paraphrase Mr. Adams, to enhance well-defined areas of doubt and uncertainty, I will phrase it thus: I cannot forsee a circumstance in which terrorists will care what we think.
I like the simplicity of never though. Maybe I'm an entropist.
Posted by: Cullen at July 8, 2005 8:07 AMawesome post, whether the terrorists ever read it or not.
A comment by one of the radio newsguys I listen to this morning: "So, the rush hour went off pretty much the same as it always did this morning in London. It's almost as if the British people are like, 'That's the best you can throw at us?'"
Considering the history of the Blitz (there are still people around who remember that) and the IRA bombings of the 80s, I'm not surprised that Londoners are reacting largely as they are.
It cheers me up considerably to see them acting that way though.
(I do wish Winston Churchill were still around; he'd have some very choice things to say about the attacks and Londoners' reactions to them).
Posted by: ricki at July 8, 2005 8:57 AMHa.
Posted by: Cullen at July 8, 2005 10:57 AMI love the way you write. You're so effective that I actually had a dream about you last night. We were at somebody's house and Johnny Depp was there. A young girl went up to him and said, "Would you please say, 'You're really weird'" like you do in the Chocolate Factory movie? And then right before our eyes he transformed into that character, and I looked at you said, "Oh my God, NOW I GET IT."
I know that this has nothing to do with terrorism or your post. It's more a commentary on pregnancy dreams than anything, but I thought maybe on this day, after all the horror of yesterday, it would be okay to say something lighthearted.
Posted by: RTG at July 8, 2005 11:57 AMDid I ever tell you how much YOU ROCK!
Posted by: Ken Summers at July 8, 2005 1:01 PMI don't care whether terrorists care what we think. I want them to care what we DO. I was just thinking this morning that, videotaped propaganda aside, bin Ladin (if he's still alive) probably would take back 9/11 if he could.
Posted by: Laura at July 8, 2005 1:34 PMYeah, what Ken said: Sheila O'Malley! FUCK YEAH! ;-)
Posted by: Dave J at July 8, 2005 1:39 PMRTG - i absolutely love your dream. I wish it would come true!! That is so funny!
Posted by: red at July 8, 2005 3:24 PM