A year ago today...

...evil visited London. And I quote Ken Livingstone who spoke so poignantly about it from Singapore where he was taking part in Britain's successful Olympic bid:

"I want to say one thing specifically to the world today. This was not a terrorist attack against the mighty and the powerful. It was not aimed at Presidents or Prime Ministers. It was aimed at ordinary, working-class Londoners, black and white, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Jew, young and old. It was an indiscriminate attempt to slaughter, irrespective of any considerations for age, for class, for religion, or whatever.

That isn't an ideology, it isn't even a perverted faith - it is just an indiscriminate attempt at mass murder" (see the full speech).

I was born in London and lived there for my early years. Both my parents were born and raised in London. 3 of my grandparents were born in London and all 4 of them lived there most if not all of their lives. Many other members of my family and ancestors have these connections to this city. I have visited it a thousand times. And so I will be thinking of the victims of the bombings during the 2 minutes silence at midday.

But acts such as these are more than just geography. And most of us are simply ordinary, nice people going about our ordinary lives. But that's the point isn't it? Don't live in fear. Be just a little kinder to one another. Be grateful for, and use, our freedom to move around and think and choose as we wish. Make Britain and any other place we visit a pleasant place to be by our actions and show those who take part in any way in this evil that they WILL NEVER WIN.

Gosh...July must be 'political month' for me. Wonder what else I can get talking about... :-D