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jawnbcLast evening ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
querrelle and I were en route to a bite to eat after seeing “War of the Worlds” last night*.querrelle had an SMS from his ex Gary: “are you watching the news?” Fuck. My heart sank. Gary wasn't answering his mobile, and I didn't want to be alarmist, so we left it at that. I subsequently SMS'd Marko (who was supposed to come to the film but cancelled) that we just saw WOTW; he texts back “terrorist attack in London.” Fuck.
I called Marko, got a quick rundown and filledquerrelle in. We headed home shortly thereafter. His parents were, unusually, in London (they spend most of the year in Andorra or Spain) but they never use mass transit--no concerns there. Our friend Mike doesn’t work in the city so he wasn’t affected. So far we’re pretty sure everyone we care about is OK.
Cranky bit: What happened in London was awful, as were the things that happened in the other cities I named in the subject line--a few among many, many places in the world where terrorist attacks have taken place. All have been truly terrible stuff. It’s been a releif that, so far at least, none of my friend--LJ and not--had any loved ones among the dead or injured in London.
But there have been a number of people who talk about this (in conversation or on LJ) as if it’s happened to them, though in reality it hasn’t directly affected them or their loved ones, and they don’t have a strong connection to London. And by a strong connection I mean, having lived there, having roots or origins or known relations there. Myself, my husband is a Londoner, and I’ve been to London many times. I have some good friend there. So London is infused throughout my memories, and almost all of those are lovely memories.
But really. For me--or anyone with such a tenuous connection to the place--to claim how much this attack affects me directly? Out of place. Have a reaction? I hope so, that’s part of being a caring human being. But staking a connection to it? A claim to it? I think that’s wrong.
And, I venture to guess, those who are really connected to this tragedy would happily swap places with folks carry on as such.
So I offer prayers and thoughts to all in the UK and their kin. Ditto to those for whom having London attacked represents a genuine attack on their sense of place in this world. I know what that feels like. Which was why my heart sank last night: memories of a gorgeous sunny September day when I tried to find out if my family were still alive as I watched the city of my childhood dissolve into dust.
*Which, for the record, we both thought was a big “meh”. Not bad, but nothing special, or new. Well executed. I can see Dakota Fanning in rehab in 10 years, such is the seeming inevitability for most kids who sound like their 45 year-old divorcée
querrelle and I were en route to a bite to eat after seeing “War of the Worlds” last night*.querrelle had an SMS from his ex Gary: “are you watching the news?” Fuck. My heart sank. Gary wasn't answering his mobile, and I didn't want to be alarmist, so we left it at that. I subsequently SMS'd Marko (who was supposed to come to the film but cancelled) that we just saw WOTW; he texts back “terrorist attack in London.” Fuck. I called Marko, got a quick rundown and filled
querrelle in. We headed home shortly thereafter. His parents were, unusually, in London (they spend most of the year in Andorra or Spain) but they never use mass transit--no concerns there. Our friend Mike doesn’t work in the city so he wasn’t affected. So far we’re pretty sure everyone we care about is OK.Cranky bit: What happened in London was awful, as were the things that happened in the other cities I named in the subject line--a few among many, many places in the world where terrorist attacks have taken place. All have been truly terrible stuff. It’s been a releif that, so far at least, none of my friend--LJ and not--had any loved ones among the dead or injured in London.
But there have been a number of people who talk about this (in conversation or on LJ) as if it’s happened to them, though in reality it hasn’t directly affected them or their loved ones, and they don’t have a strong connection to London. And by a strong connection I mean, having lived there, having roots or origins or known relations there. Myself, my husband is a Londoner, and I’ve been to London many times. I have some good friend there. So London is infused throughout my memories, and almost all of those are lovely memories.
But really. For me--or anyone with such a tenuous connection to the place--to claim how much this attack affects me directly? Out of place. Have a reaction? I hope so, that’s part of being a caring human being. But staking a connection to it? A claim to it? I think that’s wrong.
And, I venture to guess, those who are really connected to this tragedy would happily swap places with folks carry on as such.
So I offer prayers and thoughts to all in the UK and their kin. Ditto to those for whom having London attacked represents a genuine attack on their sense of place in this world. I know what that feels like. Which was why my heart sank last night: memories of a gorgeous sunny September day when I tried to find out if my family were still alive as I watched the city of my childhood dissolve into dust.
*Which, for the record, we both thought was a big “meh”. Not bad, but nothing special, or new. Well executed. I can see Dakota Fanning in rehab in 10 years, such is the seeming inevitability for most kids who sound like their 45 year-old divorcée
