Lessons from Woolwich

What have we learned since the events of last week?

• Media coverage helped terrorists: jihadists and other extremists around the world will have noticed the reaction and the ensuing backlash with great interest.

          Lesson learned: make your crime as brutal as possible and take plenty of pictures.

• Ignore the siren songs of former cabinet ministers. Dr John Reid and Michael Howard have both been on the airwaves demanding that the communications bill aka ‘snoopers charter’) be revived. Not one presenter/interviewer made the point that both of these eminent upstanding chaps actually work for security companies. Reid is paid by that shining beacon of excellence G4S, and Howard is paid by something called ‘Diligence Europe’ - an organisation described on wikipedia as ‘a private intelligence and risk assessment company founded by former CIA and MI5 members.’

• Keep a sense of proportion: a small letter in the Independent contained this nugget: “Last month, 75-year-old Mohammed Saleem Chaudhry was fatally stabbed returning from prayer, in what police believed was a racist attack. Theresa May did not recall Cobra, BBC News24 did not fill hours of air time asking local people if they felt safe (from whites). Newspapers did not print letters telling the ‘white‘ community to get its house in order.” Dr Gavin Lewis from Manchester. 

         Was it necessary for Cameron to abandon his European trip? Or Miliband? Or to recall   

         Parliament? 

• The most effective way to defy terrorists is to continue working and living calmly and peacefully. 

• While thousands of column inches have been devoted to the incident, other grave matters go largely unreported and unmentioned. For instance a small item in the Independent reported that members of the Met Police in North London seized the possessions of people sleeping rough in Redbridge. This included sleeping bags and food donated by concerned locals. The police confirmed that this was to ‘reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers.’ 

 A society under stress needs clear values and principles from its leaders. The despicable policies of our political elite to divide and rule is making the situation worse and increasing hatred.