General / Off-Topic Incident At Westminster

[amigacooke]

When I'm late for work, I'll come up from Westminster underground station, try to get out of the way of the tourists taking pictures of the clock tower, and cross at the lights.

Walking across the pavement, to my left are two police officers who guard the vehicle entrance, ordinary bobbies in hi-vis jackets, who in the course of their duties, can be seen posing with those who want a memorable picture of their visit to the Palace of Westminster.

One villain, but many heroes.

 

[FuzzySpider]

Have you seen a starving animal getting fed, well that's the media coverage we have today, switched it off as the reporters went into that ecstatic frenzy of repetition.

The ghoulish display of non-stop dramatic news coverage, with the various networks getting as gruesome as they can, trying to ignite the spark of morbid curiosity that exists within all of us in an effort to keep us glued to our televisions or internet feeds.

Meanwhile Theresa May goes through her finest jewelry collection working out what will make her look most impressive for her press conference, as her team of script writers gather together and decide how to make the most political gain from the situation.

All around the world the people who feel that they are lost, ignored, or victimized, whether real or imagined, will see how much chaos can be inflected and how much attention can be gained with nothing more than a sharp knife and a car.

It's all just more fuel for the fire.

Terrorism exists to instill fear. The only rational response is the one that seems counter-intuitive and irrational. The rational response is to not be afraid, to not victimize whatever ethnic group the individuals involved claim to belong to, to not beg the government to start taking your freedoms away to make you feel safer, and to remember that, as bad as this situation might be for those personally affected, the actual odds of this happening to you are beyond tiny.

 

[Patrick_68000]

It is good that the press maintains a large coverage of this kind of event. To keep the people in alert and realistic, because individually we can be hit at any time and anywhere . Especially concerning the islamic terrorism, which is the main problem since years, and for which there are thousands of partisans who live in our western societies

 

[verminstar]

Sorry, Vermin, going to have to disagree with you completely here. Not sure where you are located, but in the US the 4th and 5th amendments may be viewed as inconvenient when we want terrorists rounded up, but then super convenient when we don't want to be rounded up, ourselves.

The law either provides you with protections, or it doesn't. You can't have it both ways.

BTW, sympathies to the friends and loved-ones of those killed and injured (except for the bad guy... he and everyone he knows can go straight to hell).

Im located in belfast, northern ireland, and disagreeing is fine...thats what forums are for. I wont argue the point as it would be disrespectful but...our opinions on the law would be very different Im guessing. You respect the law...I dont...I do things a little differently and see the law as much a part of the problem. Hampered by human rights laws, red tape and beurocracy...aspects that dont concern me whatsoever.

Then again, northern ireland is a very different place than the US, and I know from personal experience the pain and suffering that terrorists inflict. My sympathies to the families of those affected.

 

[Patrick_68000]

The track privileged by the investigators is "that of Islamist terrorism," confirms the Minister of Defense Michael Fallon

 

[verminstar]

Islamic terrorists rarely work alone...there will be others who are the puppet masters...those the ones we really want. Round them up, lock them up, then release their names, then release them so we can deal with them as nature intended. They operate with impunity because our laws are setup to protect them and to hell with the victims rights...we are simply too tolerant and they take advantage of that ^

 

[JonnyC0mbat]

The press has sensationalised it with the blood trails and pictures of armed coppers, and 24 hour coverage of the "latest developments". It wasn't a Mumbai-esque attack that was feared, but a lone nutter with a knife and a car.

Let's not all lose our minds over a single incident, but pay our respects to the victims. I refuse to let a few malcontents warp my views and create further divisions. That's exactly what they want, and they are not going to get it.

 

[Monk]

This morning on NPR I heard that it was a lone wolf who has been inspired by radical Islamic propaganda. Similar to some of the lone wolf attacks in the US.

Also, the police were already familiar with this individual.

No confirmations that I've seen, yet.

 

[Lianachan]

The media are reporting that the culprit was known to police and had been investigated by MI5. Several arrests have been made, but the guy has not yet been named.

 

[FuzzySpider]

The media are reporting that the culprit was known to police and had been investigated by MI5. Several arrests have been made, but the guy has not yet been named.

It would be best if he was never named and never spoken of in the media again.

 

[Jenner]

Islamic terrorists rarely work alone...there will be others who are the puppet masters...those the ones we really want. Round them up, lock them up, then release their names, then release them so we can deal with them as nature intended. They operate with impunity because our laws are setup to protect them and to hell with the victims rights...we are simply too tolerant and they take advantage of that ^

Have to disagree there.

Violence begets more violence. Dealing with them 'as nature intended' simply creates a cycle of hatred and retribution.

Sadly I think there is no way to possibly prevent things like this from happening in a free and open society. It's the price we pay for not living in a totalitarian police state. That said, I think the best weapon to combat the ideology of terror is to maintain our civility, values, and empathy.

 

[Cruise]

There is a donation page on www.justgiving.com
The donations will go to Keith Palmer's family.
I have just made a donation, it would be nice if we, as a community could publicise this, & help this brave mans family in a small way.

 

[Arry]

There is a donation page on www.justgiving.com
The donations will go to Keith Palmer's family.
I have just made a donation, it would be nice if we, as a community could publicise this, & help this brave mans family in a small way.

Just his family?

 

[Yaffle]

Just his family?

It would seem that Muslims United aims to collect for all victims:

https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslims_united_for_london#/

 

[Aereon Theed]

It would seem that Muslims United aims to collect for all victims:

https://www.launchgood.com/project/muslims_united_for_london#/

Sorry, may I ask what this organization is? (Muslims United)

 

[Yaffle]

Sorry, may I ask what this organization is? (Muslims United)

It's a name for that campaign, that's all.

 

[Lianachan]

Attacker named as Khalid Masood, from Kent.

 

[verminstar]

Have to disagree there.

Violence begets more violence. Dealing with them 'as nature intended' simply creates a cycle of hatred and retribution.

Sadly I think there is no way to possibly prevent things like this from happening in a free and open society. It's the price we pay for not living in a totalitarian police state. That said, I think the best weapon to combat the ideology of terror is to maintain our civility, values, and empathy.

Thats ok...we hold different values because of geography and life experiences. Were ye in northern ireland during the troubles? I grew up in the worst of it and Ive known violence my entire life...Ive been desensitized because its normal everyday life fer me.

Fair to say we come from very different backgrounds but Ill finish with this. Theres no anti social crime on my estate...because anti social acts against the community are not tolerated.

Take from that what ye will...but it works regardless what outsiders believe ^

 

[Ian Skippy]

Thats ok...we hold different values because of geography and life experiences. Were ye in northern ireland during the troubles? I grew up in the worst of it and Ive known violence my entire life...Ive been desensitized because its normal everyday life fer me.

Fair to say we come from very different backgrounds but Ill finish with this. Theres no anti social crime on my estate...because anti social acts against the community are not tolerated.

Take from that what ye will...but it works regardless what outsiders believe ^

And you think terrorists care? You think they make a list of regions and cross out the ones where 'anti social acts against the community are not tolerated'? Most of them expect to die anyway. The reason there is little islamic terrorism in your neighbourhood is probably because they haven't got Northern Ireland very high on their list of things that offend them for whatever reason. We're not talking about punks who are committing crime because they are bored and too lazy for a job...

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Yes this barbarian deserved a trial

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You should say this, to people who died and to their families

The point of terrorism isnt to make a small group of random citizens mourn their loved ones, its to destabilise society. Shanaeri is correct, and it doesn't detract at all from the personal losses. Cheap rhetoric mate.

 

[Monk]

Attacker named as Khalid Masood, from Kent.

Also, ISIS is claiming responsibility for the attack.