Urban Horror

After my first fun filled attempt at Blogging last week, I was feeling slightly agitated that I couldn't think of anything significant to write about. I knew my girlfriend was right when she stated that it didn't have to be something profound but just everyday even mundane observations, as long as it was something personal. The question for me is probably just how much of the personal do you share with the world, without compromising your privacy. Can you go as close to the bone as you would in a novel? This is the personal choice of the Blogger, but for me it may be acceptable to share certain personal truths by adopting a philosophical tone. Whatever the amount I choose to reveal, my aim should be to seek the personal/human truth and share these with the audience just as I would with any of my other work.

So this morning I returned home to Greenford after spending a charming weekend at my girlfriend's. Which is significant as it's taken a year of torture (particularly for my girlfriend), for me to arrive at the acceptance of settling down. But that's a discussion for another day.

Despite the journey home from Wimbledon being slightly problematic (what with the west bound District line tube being forced to terminate at High st Kensington due to another security alert), I was delighted by the lush green sight of Perivale Park Golf Course again as the Greenford train emerged from the monstrosity of a council estate over the River Brent and the Ruislip road. Walking the short distance from the station, I mused over the near tranquility of suburbia in London. This was in stark contrast to the tone of Vanessa Phelps's talk show on BBC Radio London. Vanessa was garnering London's feelings towards urban thug behaviour in public, in light of the stabbing of Richard Whelan on a North London bus over the weekend. What was most ironic for me was that this was one phone-in where all the public stuck to the one topic despite the deluge of correspondence. However, even though people were clearly aggrieved at the state of our urban streets, there was a common theme that of the majority of people turning the blind eye or 'hiding behind their Evening Standards' during the most horrific incidents.

I think it was one of the best talk shows BBC London as aired, as the conclusion that came out was that we are all part of a community and cannot ignore such acts by simply leaving things to the government. If we aren't willing to stand together and impose sanctions on those thugs whatever age, race, or gender they may be, then who will? Ultimately, the order of society is our collective responsibility not just that of the State. After all, heaven belongs on Earth not up in the sky; a 70 year old woman getting slapped by 15 year olds or a man stabbed to death in a senseless killing, sounds like hell on earth to me.

May I say this to the member of the public on Vanessa's show who confused the North London bus stabbing as a racist attack, comparing it to the terrible racist murder of young Anthony Walker in Liverpool last Friday. That I would probably have been stabbed myself despite being as black as the perpetrator. Richard Whelan's murder was ugly and horrific in its meaningless and casual inhumanity displayed by the killer; but I truly hope that the authorities make best efforts not to repeat the mistakes of the Stephen Lawrence tragedy over a decade ago, when bringing Anthony Walker's killers to justice. As a black man, I will not be looking for misguided politically correct measures, but some good solid common sense action. Let's hope as Anthony's Uncle, Shiloh Binns wished, that some good come's of this tragedy.