London, London!
Yesterday at about 1.00 pm, after failing my driving test (I hit the kerb on the parallel park manoeuvre), I switched on the TV for some distraction. And was immediately flooded with coverage of the blasts in London. The blasts were on every news channel, most of which were giving it special coverage. The images, for someone who's grown up in India, were depressingly familiar--destruction, chaos, blood and gore, emergency services and media.
Then, three feelings: frustration as I switched channels unfruitfully for a recap/headlines. Instead there was unending live coverage of the "this is what I see before me" and expert/researcher "what's your analysis" type. Prannoy Roy and his team should give BBC/Sky some lessons in how to cover the what, where and when aspects of live events.
The papers today have, expectedly, gone over-the-top. The Guardian has devoted 26 out of 32 pages to the blasts. Similar ratios for the other mainline dailies. (Can't help thinking that TOI and ET would have better layouts and more impactful headlines straplines, photos than the lot here). And Cardiff's Western Mail is getting a slice of the action by reporting about a Welsh GP who was able to help the bus blast victims.
Relief as I realised that the casualty figure hovered in the 30s. Not like Madrid where 100s were killed, or the twin towers where the figures were in the 1000s. Relief that 37 are dead? My excuse is that living in India where the train crash, flood or riot claims many 100s more every year, and particularly after the Tsunami in December, I find it hard to react to "37 dead". I was more shaken by B's sms from London, which they're visiting for her b'day celebration, to say they're safe. Maybe it's because I am in Swansea, almost as far away from the scene as you can get. Or maybe it's because London seems just another alien city to me. Yes, come to think of it if it were Mumbai (God forbid) instead of London, I would be shattered.
And finally dismay! It had to have been the work of some radical "muslim" splinter cell. Why can't the buggers just shoot themselves in protest? At least that way they'd get publicity and perhaps sympathy. Instead, now the regular hard-working or not muslim who's trying to forge a life in a foreign land, gets to bear the brunt of the resultant communal hatred. Must ask the mum when she visits next time to cut the salwar kameezes out of her wardrobe.
It should take another week at least before the press loses interest. In a year or so the memories of the tragedy will fade. But will the world ever forget or forgive its muslims?
Then, three feelings: frustration as I switched channels unfruitfully for a recap/headlines. Instead there was unending live coverage of the "this is what I see before me" and expert/researcher "what's your analysis" type. Prannoy Roy and his team should give BBC/Sky some lessons in how to cover the what, where and when aspects of live events.
The papers today have, expectedly, gone over-the-top. The Guardian has devoted 26 out of 32 pages to the blasts. Similar ratios for the other mainline dailies. (Can't help thinking that TOI and ET would have better layouts and more impactful headlines straplines, photos than the lot here). And Cardiff's Western Mail is getting a slice of the action by reporting about a Welsh GP who was able to help the bus blast victims.
Relief as I realised that the casualty figure hovered in the 30s. Not like Madrid where 100s were killed, or the twin towers where the figures were in the 1000s. Relief that 37 are dead? My excuse is that living in India where the train crash, flood or riot claims many 100s more every year, and particularly after the Tsunami in December, I find it hard to react to "37 dead". I was more shaken by B's sms from London, which they're visiting for her b'day celebration, to say they're safe. Maybe it's because I am in Swansea, almost as far away from the scene as you can get. Or maybe it's because London seems just another alien city to me. Yes, come to think of it if it were Mumbai (God forbid) instead of London, I would be shattered.
And finally dismay! It had to have been the work of some radical "muslim" splinter cell. Why can't the buggers just shoot themselves in protest? At least that way they'd get publicity and perhaps sympathy. Instead, now the regular hard-working or not muslim who's trying to forge a life in a foreign land, gets to bear the brunt of the resultant communal hatred. Must ask the mum when she visits next time to cut the salwar kameezes out of her wardrobe.
It should take another week at least before the press loses interest. In a year or so the memories of the tragedy will fade. But will the world ever forget or forgive its muslims?
posted by Sabiha | 1:28 PM
3 Comments:
i feel terrible that you have to ask that question sabs. what happened and continues to happen is terrible no doubt and it's also despicable how fanatism can override people's common sense. but things would not have come to this if the countries who call them civilized would have some compassion and understanding of 'the way of life' of other cultures and if they had not pursued their selfish interests relentlessly for decades. i hate to say this at a time like this, but you reap what you sow!
PS: sorry about the driving test. what happens now?
i meant '...themselves civilized..'
Thank you, Rumy, for your words of comfort. About the driving test: I'm not too upset because at least this time nobody crashed into me. I guess I'll just take it again and again and again until I crack the bugger!
Post a Comment
<< Home