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ALUMNI RESPONSE TO BOMBINGS IN LONDON | |
| Sent: Friday, July 8, 2005 Dear Colorado College alumni in London, Colorado College would like to extend our deepest sympathy to those with friends and family affected by the terrorist bombings. Please know that we care and have you all in our thoughts. We invite you to share your personal stories and reactions to this terrible atrocity with the Colorado College community on our webpage for alumni abroad. Should you wish to do so, please reply to this email so that we may post your response. If you'd prefer to not have your response posted to the web, just let us know. We'd like to know how you are doing. Sincerely, |
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Mary Lee Turtle Jackson '64 |
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| Marjorie Thompson '78 Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 I was on the Holyhead to Dublin ferry when the news came through. Fortunately, the only friend I knew who worked in the vicinity of the bombings had stayed home from work that day. Whilst in Dublin I got together with Kerri Halberg Cullen and her husband Peter--they flew in via London from a family visit to the States the day after the bombing. Life in London continues as normal. It's not just the spirit of the Blitz during World War II that keeps people going (most of us are too young to remember it anyway, and old age pensioners don't travel til after 9:30 am when it's cheaper) but the fact that all during the 70's and 80's we lived with Irish Republican Army bombings--three of which I came very near to being hit by (one at Harrod's, one at the Grand Hotel in Brighton aimed at Mrs Thatcher and her Cabinet and one in Omagh). Ultimately, there will have to be a complete withdrawal of American troops from the Middle East (as with British troops from Northern Ireland), a peace settlement which gives equitable space to the Palestinians and a recognition that it's not our 'values and freedom' the terrorists are attacking, but our actions, as a former CIA man who headed the Bin Laden Unit from 1996-99 told us on television the other night. Then we may be safer. |
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| Meg Mathies '57 Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 Hi Karrie, Somehow I didn't get your earlier message, but I very much appreciate this one asking if we're okay. We're both fine. We weren't directly involved, although some of the attacks - - King's Cross, Russell Square, Tavistock Square - - occurred in "our neighborhood". Since we live close enough to walk to work at the British Library (Ed) and the London Research Institute (me), we rarely join the other rush hour commuters on the tube or buses, but we do regularly walk past these sites. Fortunately, on Thursday morning we stayed home to do the laundry and finish packing shipping boxes and suitcases in preparation for our departure, and so only learned of it from the sound of sirens and helicopters, and then by word of mouth. Now, five days later, the tubes and buses are almost all back on schedule and, despite the deep scars which will remain, the majority of Londoners are responding with a solid, heroic determination: "We lived through the blitz and years of IRA terrorism, so this won't stop us!" Needless to say, it's been a sobering and XXXX experience to be in London during this period. Thanks again for your message, Meg |
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| Bill Jongeneel '80 Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 Dear Karrie, Thank you for your email. I was up in Leeds in the north of England, furnishing a flat I'd bought to let out, when the bombs went off, and we were blissfully ignorant of events until texts starting arriving on my phone asking if I was ok. We didn't change our plans one bit, resolved not to accomodate terrorists by adjusting our lives according to their terms. And this is how Londoners will in the main respond, I think, with a commitment to life as usual, and damned if a few fanatics with hearts of hate will change the character of this great city they live in. My sister arrived from Sri Lanka on Saturday, and also took the tube to my home, remarking how similar to 9/11 the public address anouncements were. Many friends were close to events, one in particular who was evacuated from King's Cross at 8:56 am when the bomb near there went off two minutes later, but fortunately no one I know was injured. My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones. We must draw responsibility where we can, and on behalf of our governments, for why some people are so angry and embitterred and desperate that they target us in this way. It is a perverse and evil way they choose to act, but it is not unitelligible or without a context, no matter how much we wish to avoid understanding them. We can each do more to make the world a fairer more just place where all have the chances we enjoy. Sincerely, |
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| Jo Chataway '84 Sent: Saturday, July 9, 2005 I was really touched to receive to your e-mail and many thanks for your concern. I'm pleased to say that although there were a couple of very lucky escapes, I, my family and colleagues are all safe and well. London is a vibrant and strong place and diversity is core to its character. The challenge I suppose is to respond effectively to terrorist threats whilst holding dear a strong sense of justice and openess. Fear is corrosive and can so easily eat away at the real strengths of democractic cultures. These thoughts I'm sure won't be new to many people at Colorado College but I think many of us here in London will be thinking hard about these things in the coming months. All the best, Jo |
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| Anne Miller '71 Sent: Friday, July 8, 2005 Karrie, Just to let you know that I am fine. Was supposed to be at one of the areas (Liverpool street) but my meeting was cancelled the day before. It was a shock but fortunately no one I know was injured or killed even if some were caught in carriages. Thanks for the outreach. Anne |
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