On Monday morning, I read a post on my friend's Facebook page that listed 'Six Brutal Truths' and one of them was the fact that 'everyone has his or her own best interests at heart.' I thought about that the rest of the day and tried to think of the times I have seen that this is in fact not true. I didn't want it to be true because I want to believe that people will help others when they see someone else in need.
There were so many courageous people who helped when they must have been shaking with fear themselves later that night. Many accounts poured out in the news reports this past week: concert-goers in wheelchairs were struggling to get out of the venue so a line of people formed to raise them up and out over the debris to safety; taxi drivers worked through the night giving free rides to people who were stranded with no way of getting home because the train station was closed; adults waited with young teenagers and pre-teens who were alone without parents to make them feel some sort of comfort; hoteliers invited those affected by the attack to come in for a hot drink and a refuge from the uncertainty of what was happening outside; people who were collecting their children from the concert served as make-shift taxi drivers, taking people home; and finally, the police rushing bravely to raid houses, arresting those living here who only want to harm us, and to secure our country.
Meanwhile, there were scenes of horror among those trying to help. The nightmare for people in Manchester that night has affected us all. Their descriptions of searching through the debris for their loved ones, not knowing where it was safe to run or hide, families being injured and separated into one of eight different hospitals to suffer alone, and the rescue crews running towards the bombing, not knowing what other dangers may await them there. So to address the cynical quotation that I read just the day before this: people are in fact inclined to help others and even when put in the most frightening situation possible, they face it with a courage that can only be motivated by the interests of others around them--even if they may be strangers.
My friend at work was just at the arena at a concert three weeks ago. I have a few friends who go to Manchester a couple times a month. I was planning to be at the arena hotel Friday night to see a concert one block from the terrible attack. (Obviously, I cancelled my plans and stayed at home.) My two friends from my hometown were performing with their band and it was supposed to serve as a high school reunion of sorts. It sends chills down your spine to think what caused this terrorist to pick that date, that venue, that time?
Initially, I cancelled my plans because I knew that I would be worrying the whole time. The train station that I was supposed to arrive into is still closed and the area around the hotel is still cordoned off by the police and there are armed guards in the streets. Besides all of these things, the UK terror threat level has been raised to critical. Needless to say, it was not a place to where I wanted to travel.
Then, as the details came out in the following days, I knew it was not appropriate to be celebrating on the site of utter chaos and destruction and the point where families were destroyed forever. That place, for me, is hallowed ground now. I have no intention of going there and in my opinion, it should not be a place of celebration. I would support a memorial there where people could pay their respects to all who were terrorized on that night, but anything other than solemn reverence in that spot would seem inappropriate at this time. And for people who were saying within hours of the attack, "We need to keep going with our lives. We can't let the terrorists change our plans": frankly, I disagree and I think we do need to take time to reflect, pray, and grieve the loss of those poor, innocent lives--some of them little children--on Monday night. Eventually, some people can keep their plans, but can we just take time to honour those who have passed?
Over the past week, I have thought, "What good could come from this?" There have been uniting vigils and strangers coming together to give others a shoulder to cry on so that we don't have to suffer alone in our agony of this terrible, horrific attack. It is inspiring to see hundreds of people encouraging each other and taking time to reflect on what is happening in our world together as one.
Maybe another improvement could be border security and response to tips provided by the general public. Hindsight is twenty-twenty; however, there were many warnings about this disturbed, evil individual. For instance, he was on a government 'watch list.' Two different individuals from his community reported that he was a supporter of terrorism and specifically, suicide bombing five years ago. He arrived from a trip to Libya just last week--no one in the public knows for sure what type of questioning he faced upon his return into the UK. This person also recently dropped out of university, showing a lack of interest in his life's goals. His father and brother were also involved in terrorist groups. All of this was known information and not discovered after the attack. An excuse from the authorities was that there are 'three thousand people' on the watch list and they cannot possibly follow-up on all of them. My idea for a solution to this very discouraging statement would be to remove all of them from residing here. If someone has the tendencies that land them on a government watch list, then I would say they do not get a second chance and they need to be removed to another country. I appreciate the security that the government authorities do provide and the bravery of the troops that are completing the raids into this horrible person's network of terrorists; but, I think with the warnings they received on this individual in particular, he could have been removed and not allowed to re-enter the country years ago.
One common idea this week that I heard was that people need to respond with love and we need to stick together. The people who think this and repeat this idea are preaching to the choir. The question now is, "How can we reach the people who have already turned hateful?" I don't know if we can; these people do not have the appreciation for human life that the majority of people do.
Although I don't have a clue what to do about this road block in the pathway to peace, the love shown by all of the people around the world for the victims in Manchester does prove that there is mostly Love around the world. Maybe this message and these signs of caring can reach those who need it most.
Here is a poem from a Mancunian Tony Walsh, aka Longfella. I found it very moving and hopeful for those who are left to face living with the tragedy in a city dealing with great brokenness.
If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.
