Jon, Thank you so much for your inspiring words. I can feel the energy of the british people - and what I would hope to be true for all world citizens - in your message. I heard the same spirit in the interviews with Londoners that were on radio and TV yesterday. Grief and shock, yes, but no defiance and willingness to compromise freedom - in every sense of the word. I hope this spirit will be contagious.
I lived Hamburg, Germany in the 70's and 80's. Lots of terrorist activities all over the country and Europe for that matter. And then there was the cold war with all it's weapon's posturing. Strangely enough though, neither did the weapons stationed in Germany to "protect" my way of life (by blowing up the better part of Europe if need be) make me feel safe, nor did all those terrorists make me feel unsafe. I did refuse then and will refuse now to let aggression of any kind blow smoke into my eyes and obscure the vision that I share with you: "I want to change the world and make it better place - > more > peaceful, more respectful, more hopeful, more healthy, more kind, > more > sustainable, more.... " With love and prayers for those who are in pain. Claudia On Fri, 8 Jul 2005 16:24:30 +0100 Jon Harvey <only.conn...@virgin.net> writes: > Funda > > On some newscasts - all the bombings around the world were mentioned > - and > indeed this morning one commentator was saying that we should refer > to this > as simply terrorism rather than qualify it as islamic terrorism. > Tony Blair > made the point that of being inclusive of all communities here in > Britain in > his comments. > > Today I remain hopeful - there is a real spirit in the UK so that > such > atrocities will not defeat us and we can and indeed are bouncing > back. > London is quiet today - mostly because people have heeded advice not > to > travel as the underground network is still recovering. But many > people are > there - working as normal - getting on with normal life. Whilst one > cannot > really talk of scale in these matters (since to those who have been > severely > injured or traumatised, and to the families of those who have been > killed - > the numbers do not matter) but this could have been far worse. We > have been > here before, London has been bombed before and peace does break > out... > eventually. > > In respect of the G8 summit - I am optimistic (generally but also > specifically) since I believe that the group of world leaders will > not want > to be seen to be reacting to this latest terrorist action in a knee > jerk > kind of way. You may recall that one of the things that Blair did > for Bush > (I think...) was to persuade him not to react quickly after 9/11. I > think a > measured response to this latest action is also called for and > indeed will > happen. > > The action in London was not only despicable in its disregard for > people's > lives - it was also dastardly in that I think those behind the > terrorism may > have been seeking to influence the G8 summit. We - and I believe the > leaders > of the world - are wiser than that. Let us not forget the other > event that > happened in Hyde Park, London and many other places around the world > a few > days ago - Live8 - which was an explosion of a far better kind - > and > explosion of love for the world and everyone in it - from the > smallest child > in Africa to the biggest rock stars on the stage (as it were!). > > Maybe I am biased - but it seems to me that most songs are about > love in > some form or another. We have to love everyone - even the terrorists > - only > through that way is the peace that we all search for... I refuse to > believe > that as we stride into the 21st Century we must rely for our > security upon > weapons and restrictions to our ordinary way of living. I want to > build our > future upon love and peace - upon respect and reconciliation - upon > dialogue > and understanding. > > And to link that with why we are here - I believe it is only through > whole > and open spaces & systems with creative and respectful dialogues > that we can > hope to achieve that kind of future. This is why I do this kind of > work. In > my small way - I want to change the world and make it better place - > more > peaceful, more respectful, more hopeful, more healthy, more kind, > more > sustainable, more.... dreamy if you like - we all have the right to > dream > our dreams and live out our dreams - and I will be damned if I will > let a > few sad, dangerous and misguided individuals stop me from doing that > - for > myself and with others. > > Here is to dreams, common ground, love and peace! > > Love > > Jon > > -----Original Message----- > From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu]On Behalf Of > Funda > Oral > Sent: 08 July 2005 08:18 > To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > Subject: Re: London calling > > > I was watching BBC yesterday. > > They talked about bomb attacks to Madrid and New York, but didn't > mention > Istanbul. > > They interviewed some musulman religious leaders about what > happened. > > I am very afraid that they are (someone is) trying to promote > everything as > fight among > religions or musulman against west which is increasing the reactions > again > musulman people. > > I am very sorry. Innocent people pay the bill for all these dirty > games..but > i am also very > afraid to see once again there are lost minds and souls who can do > anything. > > Funda > > * > * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > > * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
