In the words of Brian May...
**Fri 08 Jul 05**
THE BOMBINGS IN LONDON
Q: What is the definition of an idiot ?
A: Someone who keeps on doing the same thing, and expects a different result.
I sense there is a mood of quiet resolve among the people I speak to. We are feeling that we must not go any further down the road of escalation .... this is old stuff, but I personally feel that in the wake of 9/11 an opportunity was missed .... to seek understanding rather than revenge. The Nelson Mandela way. I do not subscribe to this "War on Terrorism" slogan. I believe we have a need to secure a peaceful world for our children, and that it cannot be done by exerting our muscle internationally. It sure hasn't worked yet, has it?! It must be done by adjusting OUR behaviour; we must stop playing "Cowboys and Indians" - a self-damning phrase if ever there was one. I no longer believe we are the good guys. We must earn this view of ourselves, and start recognising that there are other legitimate views of the world than ours.
I'm afraid the comet-smashing philosophy is to blame ! Maybe I'm overdoing this, but there is a kind of arrogance that goes with this, which makes us dangerous....
Every time I fly (which is almost almost every day right now !) I walk past the conspicuous plastic case of confiscated nail clippers and tiny scissors, and think to myself ..."are we really fooling ourselves that by doing this we are making our world safe? " Yesterday in London must have shown us that we have no hope of solving the "Terrorist Problem" with this kind of sticking plaster. So where do we go from here ? Search everyone before they go on a bus? On a tube train ? Walking down the street? This is the road to insanity .... a climate of fear, which, sadly, the USA is already experiencing. It's time we attacked the cause rather than the symptoms. I want to see our politicians answer the question "WHY?" WHY do people hate us this much? What can we do to change this? It's no use thinking we are dealing with a small bunch of maniacs, as seems to be the popular view, who need to be "stamped out". The reality is we are looking at a large number of entire countries of people to whom the American (and English) flag is a symbol of evil. Of selfishness and bullying imperialist aggression. THIS is what we must address. This is what we owe it to our children to do. In my opinion.
Bri
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www.brianmay.com
THE BOMBINGS IN LONDON
Q: What is the definition of an idiot ?
A: Someone who keeps on doing the same thing, and expects a different result.
I sense there is a mood of quiet resolve among the people I speak to. We are feeling that we must not go any further down the road of escalation .... this is old stuff, but I personally feel that in the wake of 9/11 an opportunity was missed .... to seek understanding rather than revenge. The Nelson Mandela way. I do not subscribe to this "War on Terrorism" slogan. I believe we have a need to secure a peaceful world for our children, and that it cannot be done by exerting our muscle internationally. It sure hasn't worked yet, has it?! It must be done by adjusting OUR behaviour; we must stop playing "Cowboys and Indians" - a self-damning phrase if ever there was one. I no longer believe we are the good guys. We must earn this view of ourselves, and start recognising that there are other legitimate views of the world than ours.
I'm afraid the comet-smashing philosophy is to blame ! Maybe I'm overdoing this, but there is a kind of arrogance that goes with this, which makes us dangerous....
Every time I fly (which is almost almost every day right now !) I walk past the conspicuous plastic case of confiscated nail clippers and tiny scissors, and think to myself ..."are we really fooling ourselves that by doing this we are making our world safe? " Yesterday in London must have shown us that we have no hope of solving the "Terrorist Problem" with this kind of sticking plaster. So where do we go from here ? Search everyone before they go on a bus? On a tube train ? Walking down the street? This is the road to insanity .... a climate of fear, which, sadly, the USA is already experiencing. It's time we attacked the cause rather than the symptoms. I want to see our politicians answer the question "WHY?" WHY do people hate us this much? What can we do to change this? It's no use thinking we are dealing with a small bunch of maniacs, as seems to be the popular view, who need to be "stamped out". The reality is we are looking at a large number of entire countries of people to whom the American (and English) flag is a symbol of evil. Of selfishness and bullying imperialist aggression. THIS is what we must address. This is what we owe it to our children to do. In my opinion.
Bri
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.brianmay.com