h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/mayor_statement_070705.jsp

hear hear

Thought I could edit... guess not. Just wanted to point out the last bit.

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 and we know what the objective is. They seek to divide Londoners. They seek to turn Londoners against each other. I said yesterday to the International Olympic Committee, that the city of London is the greatest in the world, because everybody lives side by side in harmony. Londoners will not be divided by this cowardly attack. They will stand together in solidarity alongside those who have been injured and those who have been bereaved and that is why I'm proud to be the mayor of that city.

Finally, I wish to speak directly to those who came to London today to take life.

I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others - that is why you are so dangerous. But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society and I can show you why you will fail.

In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential.

They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don't want that and nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail.

Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail.

I wish someone had said "Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail" to George W. Bush before he started us on the road that led to this whole sorry debacle. They probably did - in fact I think I remember Ken saying something similar - but sadly he wasn't listening.

I must admit, I found reading Ken's statement particularly moving

The world is divided.
London is not,
London is one,
One city,
That we built.

A bomb will disrupt and kill,
But a city will stand strong,
Many bombs will destroy and slaughter,
But a city will rebuild,
As we built it.

A bomb will destroy a life,
Destroy a family,
Destory hope and joy,
Is this not a crime?
Is it not a crime against humanity?
Or is it a crime against inhumanity?

And I leave you with this thought,
What has all this blood bought?
More blood, more tears,
More pain, more wasted years.
And for what?
For what?