Today is July 7th

A year ago today four total non-entities stepped onto London trains and buses and changed the face of my city, forever. Fifty two people and four murderers were killed, 700 injured. For all that the IRA were misguided, possibly psycopathic, fanatics it was never that difficult to step inside their heads as it is to understand the mindset of these British misfits.

Was it their idea of the virgins waiting for them that turned them on? The posthumous glory? Who knows. I refuse to call them muslims; that description no more defines their actions than does our common humanity.

Think instead of those left with the memories, those who lived through a small piece of hell on earth. In absolute terms the Somme and all that stood for may have been a lower circle of hell, but that does not diminish one iota the significance of the pain imposed randomly on people like you and I.

Rachel who lived through an underground bomb is an eloquent writer. Please take the time to read her work, visit her archives - read and learn. We cannot ignore and we must not forget. Not just London a year ago, but Madrid, Bali, New York: all those places where innocent people died because some murderers decided their cause was just.

This photo recalls the bombing of the Baltic Exchange by the IRA in 1992. Only (huh, "only") three people were murdered and the historic Baltic Exchange destroyed. Out of its ashes, the Gherkin, one of my favourite London buildings, has risen. Their names are carved into the granite wall, without any explanation. Let us not forget.


Rachel is calling for signatures on a petition for a public enquiry into the events of 7th July, to help avoid others having to go through what she has done. Please sign it, thank you.