Britain Says Man Killed by Police Had No Tie to Bombings
LONDON, July 23 - Scotland Yard admitted Saturday that a man police officers chased and shot to death at point-blank range in front of horrified subway passengers on Friday had nothing to do with the investigation into the bombing attacks here.
Everyone is on edge with the recent surge of terrorist activity in London, a previously untouched safe haven. It goes to follow that Tony Blair, major supporter of the War on Terror and George Bush Jr's most valued international supporter would of attracted the attention of militant Islamic groups. The vacancy in time, only goes to show us, that those with hate and anger against the results of our misinformed War on Terror have extreme patience and can strike at any moment, especially when it is least suspected. If the recent attempts to bomb subway stations yet again had succeeded, I shudder to realize at what consequences this would of had on a such a stoic nation of Britain. The aftershocks would of sent fragile Americans reeling, yet again faced, with the failure of this illegitimate war against a race of people, not a nation of people. Echoes of faded 9/11 memories become fresh yet again, and fertile breeding grounds for racism, hatred and the desire for revenge will not help us or anyone in the world -- those supporting America, and those nations that rightfully dispute our Middle East occupation. The time could of been ripe for yet another declaration by our commander-in-chief to declare vigilance against unseen and unknown terrorists; what target might he have picked out now? Does he have any Islamic countries on his hit list left? Most of them have quietly succummed to our petty whims of thieving hands (we take and we give, but we always take more) in regards to terrorist-related activity in their own homes. What political spin would of been put on it, what would our dubious president be saying on national TV to stir up the American people, to continue this farce of a war, and to direct our own misfortunes against people far and distant -- the better so we cannot feel their pain or identify with it. Perhaps, sadly, at this very moment we would be at war with another Islamic nation, yet again angering any Muslims that do already not have strong anti-US sentiment.
America is overbearing, repeatedly being told we are unwanted in many areas of the world. Military might is designed for, yes peace, to deter attacks against us, and to assist allied nations. The military is not a political device as such that we employ it, enforcing trade embargoes and restricting trade to countries that don't quite see eye to eye with our economic philosophy. Our military is not wanted in the Middle East, these so-called developing nations, are indeed developing, without our help, and in their own fashion. If they wanted democracy, it would of come to them from the inside, like the majority of other democratic nations. It isn't something that can be forced upon a nation and then expect the resultant country to flourish in some half-misguided dream that we still retain from the time of the Cold War and fear of communism fueled us, instead of fear of Islam. It's not a Cold War this time, they do not have the resources to elevate it to that status, but it's a different kind of war, a Guerilla War with unconventional rules that military strength is woefully inadequate to deal with and never will be. The Islamic nations that we are allied with, are doing extremely well without a need for Western-style government, for example, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. If one has visited the UAE, you might be amazed at just how forward-thinking this country is, it is far beyond the USA or UK in technological achievement and implementation of it. Perhaps we could learn a lesson from our Muslim friends, but of course, the price of democracy seems to come with arrogance, so it's doubtful.
Destabilization of the middle-east is not something America, other Western nations, or Middle Eastern countries want. Disarmament of troublesome regimes is one thing, but toppling an entire economic region with military might and extended American presence only leads to a sense of enfeeblement. We are sorely lacking in understanding the religious mind-set of this area, and we refuse to accept that countries would enjoy to govern themselves (with their problems and all -- yes we have our own problems too; and ever political system works them out in their own way). No one needs, or wants, intervention from Big Brother and Friends. Our heavy-handed behavior under the leadership of George Bush Jr., can be hard to be seen except for a child trying to live up to a father's expectations, desperately trying to leave a lasting mark on the work. Fortunately, historians are intelligent and I have faith that this period of time will not be written down as the bright-eyed vigilante justice that is trying to be portrayed. It may be popular with the majority of American citizens, but the educated write the books and in time future generations can see this blasphemy for what it was. Now I fear that this kind of ill-informed justice is spreading to other nations, the UK, now, with their fear, albeit they have responded quite well to homeland threats, but repeated attempts might put a damper even on their indomitable reserve. Time will see, but already panic from the substantial Muslim population in a tolerant nation of other beliefs, is reaching proportions of fear, and mass-hysteria is not something we want, in minorities or the majority population. Those of us in these Western countries can try to stem the tide of insanity and give the rest of the world some breathing room -- in the end it's up to the individual, not the president and a nation the decides the future.
In this new world of worldwide terrorism and misunderstood hatreds, it's not difficult to see what might happen in the future. It's a scary future, and I myself don't feel welcome in America itself, being not 100% pure Caucasian, I have received undue scrutiny from police officers in several situations, and whether it's paranoia or not, I feel that I'm not quite a welcome member of society. I'm slightly on the edge, accepted, not hated (yet), but the evil eye from seniors and white trash when I venture out into the public is enough to make me shudder and pray for the collective idiocracy and gullibility of the American public. This isn't a war on terror, there was never a target of terror to attack, it's a war to promote racism, to fearmonger, and to continually make citizens of this country unsafe so that there is unflagging faith for our elected officials, while we turn a blind eye to the rights that are being stolen out from under our feet. When this all is over, if it does end, what will we be left with? What rights will
you have? This Orwellian future, whether it becomes extreme or not, is frightening me, and yes I shake at night at my own safety. Not from so-called terrorists who are doing what they feel is right in their misguided way, but from our elected officials and those citizens that have been brainwashed by inflammatory speeches.
The subsequent rulings of arming select British police officers and giving them shoot-on-sight and shoot-to-kill orders is rash. There isn't a strong enough word to describe the insanity of this decision. Yes, I had expected more from the level-headed Britainians in their own hard-hit aftermath. I expected too much from the human condition. Hysteria can strike anywhere, and that is the goal of terrorism, not the destruction of life, or property. They want fear, and they have achieved it in yet another country, stalwart defenders who have stuck by America regardless if I feel they shouldn't have. I feel for the Britainians and I feel for the dirty wash of madness rushing over the weaker-minded populace there. I fear for the non-white, non-majority populations in residence in what used to be a tolerant nation of all faiths, races and beliefs. The Muslim coalitions there are hard at work to put out the fires of hatred, fear, and misdirected anger; and I wish them the best and hope for their success. Another hysteria and another misdirected War on Terror is not what the world of Britain, or America needs. We need a touch of sanity, not this rush of madness.
The ranting is over, and the meat of why I was outraged is this: the man shot dead was seen leaving a house under surveillance, wearing a heavy jacket, and later tripping in the subway. Police officers took offense to this sudden, and undoubtedly fearsome act of tripping and subsequently shot him dead, at point blank range -- no questions asked, following the new set policy of shoot-to-kill of the metropolitan police. Possible terrorists, no questions asked, just suspicion. We cannot expect the loss of innocent lives in this post-world era of predominant fear, but we can try to minimize it, and ask questions first and follow well practiced police procedure and disarm the person if necessary and jail them (under terrorism laws) and ask questions -- we have no need to kill at sight. The person had no ties with any of the bombings as the Scotland Yard later reported, no apologies, no sympathies for any family members of the victim. Just a simple statement, not even an apology of police indiscretion. That is saddening. One day soon, we can walk down the street, and be shot dead for looking too nervous, or staring at the wrong person -- and there will be no regrets, there will be no apologies, there will be no eulogy for us; because we were in the wrong, by being alive, by being in that place, and by being ourselves.
Is this the place we want to live in? Is this the place we want to raise our children? Is this the place we feel safe in? Is this level of unquestioned violence necessary to protect our well-being? Have we been asked if we want this? Have we been asked if we would rather live our lives and continue to live, instead of existing in a quasi-police state for that fleeting sense of false security?
I don't know what your answer is, but I know what mine is. It's a resounding no. Let me live, I can take horror and death, I can take fear, but let me live my life without fear from a government that is meant to protect me. Let me live my life without the deaths of innocent bystanders and guilty criminals on my shoulders. Let me live my life.
