Andrew Sullivan’s post on stoicism and the British. I like it a lot. Food for thought.
In fact, he’s got an extensive round-up of links (my favorite I’ve seen so far).
Here, for example.
Oh, and Norm Geras has a ton of links as well. Like this enraging one. Ah yes. The terrorists are “bad” people. Uhm … why the scare quotes? Who on earth doubts the fact that these people are bad? What kind of monster sees ambiguity in the atrocity and tragedy – yes, I said tragedy – today, and still clings for dear life to the scare quotes? You want to talk about COWARDS? I think people who over-use scare quotes (and this isn’t just the media’s problem, or something endemic to one side of the political fence. I see plenty of op-ed columnists and bloggers on the right using contemptuous scare quotes all over the place as well – it makes their work unreadable, in my opinion) are the real cowards, and are unable to make any pronouncements worth listening to about anything.
And here’s an amazing long round-up of updates. Thanks Norm, for being so vigilant with the updates.
RTG’s post about her time in London as a teenager.
You know, Im not sure that these people have quite understood us. Weve just spent 30 years being bombed by a bunch of terrorist nutters. Whatever your views on Irish nationalism, Eire, the rights of the IRA and so on, it is an inescapable truth that there were a series of bombings “on the mainland” and no, it didnt spread “fear and panic from the north to the south.”
No, not even when 21 people were killed in bombs in pubs, not even when thousands of bombs were dropped on London, death falling from the skies on a regular basis.Youve just not quite understood us, have you? Any politician who even so much as hinted at the idea that this would be a reason to leave Afghanistan or Iraq would be immediately howled down.
I walked through central London this evening on my way home. Almost everyone was subdued but calm and collected. The exceptions were the drunks and junkies, and even they were quieter than usual. Some bars and pubs were closed, probably because their staff couldn’t get there, but many were open and well stocked with clientele. It wasn’t business as usual by any means, but it won’t be long before it is.
Jon – of course. There’s a beauty to life going on. Persisting.
I’m glad you’re okay. England is very much in our thoughts over here.
Thanks Sheila. That means a lot.
“People” who use “scare quotes” piss me off.
“Me” too.
Jon,
After 9/11, things here in Los Angeles were very much the same way. I stopped at the supermarket to buy whiskey to take the edge off the day. Everyone else was stockpiling food and water, doing the smart thing, in case the worst of it wasn’t over. Stupid me, I buy whiskey.
Anyway, people were so quiet. Everybody was courteous – more courteous than usual. “No, please I insist you go first” kind of stuff. It was amazing.
Sad that it takes an attack on your country for people to exert special manners.
Swift healing to your city. We’re rooting for you.
Whiskey is basically part of the Food Pyramid as far as I’m concerned.
There are flowers piled outside the British consulate here. People being silent, somber, writing notes. Solidarity in stoicism, indeed.
I prefer whisky, myself.
I had a Newcastle at lunch, and probably will have one at dinner, bottled alas.
I’ll be walking past the British Consulate in the Wrigley Building on my way home.
Oh, the wrigley building. That makes me feel a bit homesick.
I’ll break from my traditional Thursday night Guinness for a Newcastle this evening.
It’s the kind of solidarity I can get behind.
Tonight’s trivia night, right, Mitch?
mitch,
If you can find Boddington’s, it’s much better than Newcastle. I’d say it’s as good as Guinness, and that’s saying a lot.
Better than Newcastle?! I think not.
Although I admit Newcastle trapped in a bottle is an inferior product than that that comes from a tap.
Scott,
‘Tis. ‘Tis. Newcastle is like the Fosters of Britain. It’s hawked as the genuine thing here, but most people at home think it’s piss.
“but most people at home think it’s piss.”
Maybe they should try our piss before making up their minds.
Oh, agreed. I don’t even think our piss should legally be allowed to be called “beer.”
Well, yes, American beer. I once went to a party where the only alcoholic beverage was Pabst Red White and Blue Lite. Not a very successful party that one.
British beers? Fullers “London Pride” is the one for me at the moment.
“I don’t even think our piss should legally be allowed to be called ‘beer.'”
Be fair, Emily: that’s really only true of the big US beer companies. There are plenty of good small and medium-sized American breweries.