One step forward and two steps back
I have to admit July has been quite an interesting month. Notice, I use present tense even though July is obviously yesterday's news now (well not literally yesterday but you know what I'm getting at). It seems like July hasnt finished yet and August hasnt rolled around just yet. Ok I know that sounds stupid but in my head it makes sense and this being my blog, I can do what I want. Its a free blog and I'm allowed to say what I want.
July has had its fair share of incidents ofcourse. It all kicked off with good ol' Bobby Geldof putting together (quote) the greatest music extravaganza of our generation (unquote) or so I read somewhere. It was ofcourse for Africa and all in conjunction with the G8 summit in Scotland. It was ofcourse to get the G8 leaders to sit up and listen to the general public. No offense bobby, but before the Iraq war, MILLIONS turned out the world over on a single day to march against the proposed attacks. And what happened... diddly squat! They went to war as they had planned all along and then ... weapons of mass liposuction.... oil... contracts... and so the lists goes. But I'm not gonna go on about that.
Coming back to good ol' Bobby... so he though he'd organize a big concert with some of the biggest and most famous *cough*white*cough* (ahem excuse me... bad throat you see) musicians around to get the world interested in Africa. Hmmm... lets think about this one... the "pressures" of living in a metropolitan city, a good summer day, a musical extravaganza (costing a shed load and a half to put together) and on top of it all, a freebie gig on a Saturday... ahhh ofcourse the perfect reasons someone would wanna think about Africa. Now dont get me wrong, I'm sure good ol' Bobby had the best of intentions and is definitely a man passionate about the country (he's done enough drink and drugs to start looking like the starved children of the continent), but come on man... push away the cobwebs and let a storm brew for once in the upper cranium. You're organizing a HUGE concert with the biggest names in music playing across most of the developed/developing nations. If you turned around and asked people for money, you could've raised MILLIONS! Instead you come up with the tatty (quote) we dont want your money, we want you (unquote) line. Again, I firmly believe good ol' Bobby was doing his best to get people to notice whats going on but you cant play the idealistic card anymore. I mean seriously, what're you gonna do, go to Africa and say "sorry hungry starving malnourised dude/dudette, didnt bring any money with me but I'm here to support you". They'll probably go for the heaviest thing they can throw at ya!
Anyways, that outta the way, we come to the events on the 7th of July. Well mainly the bombings on the underground and the bus that was ripped open. Absolutely horrendous. I cant think of what sort of person is brainwashed into thinking this sort of thing would actually help their cause. Knock me all you want for thinking that Muslims getting killed all over the world are justification for this. No, its not. You got something against the people who do that, go fight them, not the people trying to earn a living and feed their families. Thanks and Jazaka'Allah to all those who wrote emails, sent text messages, called or otherwise got in touch to ask if me and my family were ok. Even though I do work in Central London, my work location isnt exactly near any of the places where it happenned Alhamdulillah. Infact I am quiet embarassed to admit that on the day of the bombings I wasnt even in London. The reason I feel embarassed is because I was actually on a trip with my colleagues from work to a theme park outside London. I felt embarassed cuz here were people leaving voice messages/text messages and missed calls on my mobile/cell phone cuz they were worried about me (the networks were turned off for a while which is why I couldnt get calls/messages/texts etc). So even though we knew of the situation in London, we didnt know the extent of it and naturally out in a theme park, we were more intent on having a good time. Makes me feel guilty thinking people were worried sick about me (who didnt know I was not at work that day) while I was out having a good time. On the other hand though, a lot of people said its a miracle so many of us managed to avoid the chaos of that day. Cuz it was complete chaos. But Alhamdulillah I'm very grateful for the fact none of my family or friends were hurt in this and I feel the pain for all the people who did lose someone they cared for in the blasts.
I can understand people being worried and everything in this climate of hightened tension, but a lot of people are actually giving others a whole lotta stress over it too. Tons of people have mentioned how they tense up when they see like a (as they've been described) "Muslim-looking man". Especially one with a backpack/rucksack when they get on public transport. My own colleagues at work have admitted they get scared when they see someone like that. Vigilance is good but paranoia is bad. I mean there are days like that for me too. If I'm on a train and it isnt to/from work (i.e. dressed in shirt/tie etc like a dodo), people will look at the weird bespectacled Moozlim-looking dude with the earphones on and the backpack with 'em. I was working overtime on Saturday (as you do) and I always get the train back. Now obviously on Saturday its casual clothing and being a weekend I never shave (and if you've seen me, which most of you havent, I get a stubble in no time and a beard is merely 3-4 days of no shaving away). No Saturday afternoon around 2:30 or something I got to the train station to go home. I could literally feel the collective butt cheeks of the carriage clench as I got on the train (and no I aint exaggerating cuz i havent had this bad a response before). I know I may fit a certain stereotype (Moooozlem-looking) physically, but come on people a bit of slack would be nice.
I've been in a bit of a rotten mood (nothing new there) for the last couple of weeks. Things never seem to go the way you plan 'em and this period has certainly been no exception. Sorry if I sounded like your average teenage (I wish I was) rambler with nothing better to do than shake a stick at the world, but I'm just in that mood. Insha'Allah tomorrow's a new day and will bring with it a new beginning.
I have to admit July has been quite an interesting month. Notice, I use present tense even though July is obviously yesterday's news now (well not literally yesterday but you know what I'm getting at). It seems like July hasnt finished yet and August hasnt rolled around just yet. Ok I know that sounds stupid but in my head it makes sense and this being my blog, I can do what I want. Its a free blog and I'm allowed to say what I want.
July has had its fair share of incidents ofcourse. It all kicked off with good ol' Bobby Geldof putting together (quote) the greatest music extravaganza of our generation (unquote) or so I read somewhere. It was ofcourse for Africa and all in conjunction with the G8 summit in Scotland. It was ofcourse to get the G8 leaders to sit up and listen to the general public. No offense bobby, but before the Iraq war, MILLIONS turned out the world over on a single day to march against the proposed attacks. And what happened... diddly squat! They went to war as they had planned all along and then ... weapons of mass liposuction.... oil... contracts... and so the lists goes. But I'm not gonna go on about that.
Coming back to good ol' Bobby... so he though he'd organize a big concert with some of the biggest and most famous *cough*white*cough* (ahem excuse me... bad throat you see) musicians around to get the world interested in Africa. Hmmm... lets think about this one... the "pressures" of living in a metropolitan city, a good summer day, a musical extravaganza (costing a shed load and a half to put together) and on top of it all, a freebie gig on a Saturday... ahhh ofcourse the perfect reasons someone would wanna think about Africa. Now dont get me wrong, I'm sure good ol' Bobby had the best of intentions and is definitely a man passionate about the country (he's done enough drink and drugs to start looking like the starved children of the continent), but come on man... push away the cobwebs and let a storm brew for once in the upper cranium. You're organizing a HUGE concert with the biggest names in music playing across most of the developed/developing nations. If you turned around and asked people for money, you could've raised MILLIONS! Instead you come up with the tatty (quote) we dont want your money, we want you (unquote) line. Again, I firmly believe good ol' Bobby was doing his best to get people to notice whats going on but you cant play the idealistic card anymore. I mean seriously, what're you gonna do, go to Africa and say "sorry hungry starving malnourised dude/dudette, didnt bring any money with me but I'm here to support you". They'll probably go for the heaviest thing they can throw at ya!
Anyways, that outta the way, we come to the events on the 7th of July. Well mainly the bombings on the underground and the bus that was ripped open. Absolutely horrendous. I cant think of what sort of person is brainwashed into thinking this sort of thing would actually help their cause. Knock me all you want for thinking that Muslims getting killed all over the world are justification for this. No, its not. You got something against the people who do that, go fight them, not the people trying to earn a living and feed their families. Thanks and Jazaka'Allah to all those who wrote emails, sent text messages, called or otherwise got in touch to ask if me and my family were ok. Even though I do work in Central London, my work location isnt exactly near any of the places where it happenned Alhamdulillah. Infact I am quiet embarassed to admit that on the day of the bombings I wasnt even in London. The reason I feel embarassed is because I was actually on a trip with my colleagues from work to a theme park outside London. I felt embarassed cuz here were people leaving voice messages/text messages and missed calls on my mobile/cell phone cuz they were worried about me (the networks were turned off for a while which is why I couldnt get calls/messages/texts etc). So even though we knew of the situation in London, we didnt know the extent of it and naturally out in a theme park, we were more intent on having a good time. Makes me feel guilty thinking people were worried sick about me (who didnt know I was not at work that day) while I was out having a good time. On the other hand though, a lot of people said its a miracle so many of us managed to avoid the chaos of that day. Cuz it was complete chaos. But Alhamdulillah I'm very grateful for the fact none of my family or friends were hurt in this and I feel the pain for all the people who did lose someone they cared for in the blasts.
I can understand people being worried and everything in this climate of hightened tension, but a lot of people are actually giving others a whole lotta stress over it too. Tons of people have mentioned how they tense up when they see like a (as they've been described) "Muslim-looking man". Especially one with a backpack/rucksack when they get on public transport. My own colleagues at work have admitted they get scared when they see someone like that. Vigilance is good but paranoia is bad. I mean there are days like that for me too. If I'm on a train and it isnt to/from work (i.e. dressed in shirt/tie etc like a dodo), people will look at the weird bespectacled Moozlim-looking dude with the earphones on and the backpack with 'em. I was working overtime on Saturday (as you do) and I always get the train back. Now obviously on Saturday its casual clothing and being a weekend I never shave (and if you've seen me, which most of you havent, I get a stubble in no time and a beard is merely 3-4 days of no shaving away). No Saturday afternoon around 2:30 or something I got to the train station to go home. I could literally feel the collective butt cheeks of the carriage clench as I got on the train (and no I aint exaggerating cuz i havent had this bad a response before). I know I may fit a certain stereotype (Moooozlem-looking) physically, but come on people a bit of slack would be nice.
I've been in a bit of a rotten mood (nothing new there) for the last couple of weeks. Things never seem to go the way you plan 'em and this period has certainly been no exception. Sorry if I sounded like your average teenage (I wish I was) rambler with nothing better to do than shake a stick at the world, but I'm just in that mood. Insha'Allah tomorrow's a new day and will bring with it a new beginning.
Comments
Post a Comment