Friends
Over the last few days, I have been saddened and surprised by turn to
read many varied messages and reactions on this and other
autox.team.net lists on the barbaric events of last Tuesday.
What I have noticed most of all is that a surprisingly large number of
contributors seem to be under the misguided impression that the people
of the United States are completely alone in its grief and shock.This
is a gross travesty of truth. The vast majority of the citizens of
Europe and further afield are entirely sympathetic and equally as
horrified at what happened, as you.
As many of you will hopefully know, the country that gave you the cars
you still enjoy, shares in your grief. Today and by general edict of
the European Parliament, all member states came to a halt at 11.00am
to remember all those who died. The American Embassy in London is
alleged to now be turning away offers of help from British subjects
who are willing at their own expense to give up what remains of their
holiday entitlement or to take unpaid leave to help in the recovery of
the dead from the ruins of WTC as soon as transatlantic flights are
resumed. Our churches are full, your countrymen here on vacation are
being comforted and helped as best we are able. In the Midlands of
England which is a minute but highly populated area in comparison to
your own, every single fire station and available member of the
emergency services attended morning parades and there was not one
firefighter on active duty that did not appear on the parades. This
goes for much of the rest of the country. The mosques are full and
while the cynics may have their own opinions as to why this is so, it
is because the British moslem community shares the horror of the
slaughter.
What they fear, and rightly so - are indiscriminate attacks likely to
endanger their personal safety because they happen to presumably share
similar religious beliefs (?) as the perpetrators of this crime
against humanity.
Within an automotive environment at BMIHT Gaydon, the flags throughout
the site and on all the public buildings I have seen, are flying at
half mast as a mark of sorrow and respect. Tomorrow, I will be taking
part as the sole organiser in an 800 mile/24 hour charity run in which
Triumphs are the only eligible cars. This will not stop us from bowing
our heads and observing a period of silence before we start, to
remember the lives of Joe Deluca and Linda Gronlund who as Morgan
enthusiasts in the US were passengers aboard United 93. At the same
time as we commemorate Joe and Linda, the untold thousands who also
died with them (some were possibly LBC enthusiasts as well) will be
remembered in equal measure.
The world shares your shock, but in no doubt - you are anything but
alone. We have known terrorism on our streets for many years, though I
admit to nothing like the same scale as the events of last Tuesday. If
all the world governments can pull together for once and not flake in
their commitment to stamping out this insidious evil where individuals
seek to impose their will by brute force, we may somehow collectively
be able to bring peace to this ever more troubled world.
Jonmac
MG 4305 DLO 1970 Triumph 2.5PI
D 152318 1950 Ferguson TED20
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