Recently the government in the UK has tried to stem the current fear in the public of terrorism. Muslim groups have sent helped draft leaflets for the muslim comunities explaing there rights in the UK as citizens. I always felt that this so called "fear" was concocted by the press and didn't really exist until this weekend.
I went to London on a weekend holiday and on Saturday the 25th with family in tow we went to the ceremony of the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace. As the band headed our way I noticed a large Asian man pushing through the crowds to my left. He bumped into a couple of Americans who did the normal "what the hell" line. He was sweating and shaking pretty bad adn that immedietly sent warning siganls blaring through my head. With his large jacket and appearence I immedietly expected the worst. Just behind the barrier a mounted police woman watched on. Not sure whether to run or shout I did neither and stood there, everyone was watching the parade and taking photos. they did not see what i thought was a real suicide bomber. This all happened within 10 seconds and it took only 1 second for himm to scuttle off in another direction.
This just proved to me that yes the fear of terrorism is really there and the extreme feeling I had shocked me. Although this was only some strange guy I know now how thinking it's all coming to an end would feel. This was genuine. I also realised how vulnerable we all are as if he had fufilled my expectations the General would not be talking to you now.

Just shows you how much of the world is constructed inside your own mind huh? Keep on truckin' nancy ;)

Steady on Heirophant. Through the media overload many people are having this train of thought. Media is a powerfull weapon, go easy on its victims and harder on the culprits I say [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color=cccccc>Hiero, you are so right! Some dude just trying to get up front and watch the parade. Bumping into people, sweating and all. That's the last guy who is the suicide bomber. Now, he may have been a diverison, but not the one.

It's amazing what the mind concocts after the media has over played it.</font>

Would you have been so scared if he was a large white man ? possibly Irish?

[ 09-28-2004, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: Lanesra ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">Interesting are you sure this is the fear of terrorism or just suspicious activity. See a guy sweating and acting strange would put me on alert as well.

Just yesterday I was at the 7-11 and about to go in when 3 young punks walked up and pulled bandanas over there face and were walking in the store. I was like "Crap!!!" I got in my van and drove around to the front. They had pulled the bandanas down, bought slurppies and left. I was almost ready to call 911! However they were just punk kids wearing bandanas but you never know.

There was another time a Muslim woman was running full tilt back and forth my bus stop for no apparent reason. She even got on my bus, yes I was very much alerted that she could be a crazy terrorist about to blow up the bus. Not because she was Muslim but just because she was acting really weird. Guess she just wanted to work off diner.</font>

[ 09-28-2004, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">I would have just because his behavior was out of place and acting wierd.</font>

[ 09-28-2004, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Would you have been so scared if he was a large white man ? possibly Irish? [/QB][/QUOTE]

No because the Irish haven't been known to blow themselves up to make a point! Rationally looking at it now it does seem weird but the part of the crowd I was in was busy and that wasn't much room to move so nobody was barging around apart from that guy. I'm telling seeing a sweating shaking guy charging through a crowd bumbling away to himself can definetly plant questions in your head when at a public event outside Buckingham palace. It's going to happen one day and I just thought it was going to be that day.

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">I would have just because his behavior was out of place and acting wierd.</font> </font>[/QUOTE]That doesn't count as "weird" in London!

Hey Donut, how was Tony Blairs speech recieved yesterday? He admitted to making the wrong decision as to why they went to Iraq?