The “We’re not afraid” website is a great idea. Apparently there has been irritation amongst some Spaniards about the fact that the English have not been more emotional in response to the London bombs. After the march 11th attacks here last year over 1,000,000 people took to the streets of Madrid two days later, whereas Londoners just knuckle down and get on with real life again. Both responses are equally valid in my opinion.
One thing that I think we should not forget when we are shocked and repulsed by attacks like this in the west: Attacks on this scale are almost a DAILY occurence in Iraq. Imagine living with that…
Matt
13 Jul 05 at 3:24 pm
Hey Ben…I caught that article in the Guardian yesterday. I think, at least to some degree, that the contrasting reactions of the two countries can be attributed to cultural differences. As a Brit who has lived in Spain for so long, would you agree?
Good point about reactions to bombings in the west vs. the east. At this point suicide bombings in Iraq always make the news, but somehow don’t seem newsworthy because of their frequency. Just today a large group of children was killed by a Baghdad suicide bomber, but if it had happened in New York or London there would be far greater outcry.