Fear Vs Freedom...

Today started like any other day. I got ready for work in a daze, told them I loved them and then kissed my girlfriend and baby boy goodbye; took the bus to the train station, and stood packed in the train carriage for my 35minute commute into central London. I then walked to the tube station, and waited for my tube to take me to the office.

The tube was busier than usual. Standing room only for my entire journey. People from all over the world, of all shapes and sizes, genders and ages. No hierarchy. Just people on the way to work.
 People keep themselves to themselves on the tube. No eye contact. No communication. It’s rare for people to even acknowledge one another. All consumed by our iPods, smart phones, tablets, newspapers and magazine.

However today, my senses were heightened once again, due to the breaking news coming out of Brussels, which I was alerted to via social media.

I looked around me at my fellow commuters, and there seemed to be more people looking up from their smarts phones, and looking around today. I caught eye contact with more people than normal. People like me must have been alerted by the news, and started scanning the tube to check out the people around them. We acknowledged each other, with the understanding of why we were looking around.

Brussels Attack

Since the 7/7 attacks, our sense of vigilance as Londoners is always quite high, we have suffered before and unfortunately it does seem that it is only a matter of time before we suffer again. The breaking news from Brussels, shows how our security is always at risk. An explosion at a metro station, as well as in a public area of an airport, shows that our safety in the western world is always under threat.

As people, we need to be ready and prepared for anything which may potentially happen. Of course, as members of the public, we do not have the Hollywood movie capabilities to bring down the terrorists, but what we do have is the capabilities to help those people who are out to stop the risks. We need to be aware of people around us and should the worst happen, we need to stay as calm as possible in order to help with the evacuation and subsequent operation by emergency services.

Back in November, in Paris, the suicide bombers attacked people doing everyday things. Eating in restaurants, attending a concert, watching the football. In Brussels, it appears they have attacked commuters. It is clear that our western way of life is now the way that the terrorists will attack. We are a soft target, and there is a limit to what the security services can do. 

The Facebook Safety Check App

The clear concern, is that we have no idea how many of these terrorists are now in Europe. I fear that we are being naïve to the fact for how many people want to attack our way of life. Additionally, that the security services have no idea of how many and who these people are. They are hiding in plain sight. Security in London is always monitored, but should something happen here, how would we react?

People - probably on their way to work, have died today, because terrorists wanted to make a statement and attack the west. For those poor people, today their family and friends are frantically trying to source information. When Paris was attacked, Facebook launched their Safety Check app, which allowed people to inform their networks, that they were safe. I hope this app in place for Brussels today.

We are in an age where the 24hour rolling news channels do not help but increase the fear and anxiety amongst the public. The coverage and intimacy that these events are now covered, really aid the terrorists in spreading the fear. But as much as I agree that people need to know what was happening, but my opinion is that there should be some limitations. 

But we can’t let the fear of something which may potentially happen, stop us from having our freedom to do the things that we do on a daily basis. If we stop doing what we need to do, then the terrorists win.

People will no doubt start to post online, why are are covering this attack more than attacks in other part of the world? Why did we change our Facebook profile pics to have the French flag on them, to show solidarity with the people of Paris, when we didn’t for the attacks in Turkey or the Ivory Coast? I think this literally comes down to how close Paris and Brussels are to London. Simple as that. We can relate more to those cities. However my thoughts go out to innocent people around the world who get caught up in these atrocities. 

   

I am not political, but i cant help but think this will effect votes in the EU referendum later this summer, where Britain will decide whether to stay or leave the EU. I hate that we live in these times. I hate that my son will inherit the world with such hatred and fear.

But  we cannot let the terrorists win. Live  your life. Do not let the fear effect your freedom. 

RIP to those who have lost their lives today.