TOSSING AND TURNING

I've been tossing and turning vague ideas about, for posts, like a storm in a tea cup, which, as yet, has not settled.  My thoughts are taken up with the tragedies of war and the awfulness of the wrath of nature, which, like war, wreaks havoc on communities and countries.  

'Community' and 'country' are compound shorthand terms, which, seem to me to be  useful third party non-emotive descriptions for talking about people like you and me.  Communities are made up of  people; like the men women and children, who have provided the life blood of the places that have been destroyed.  Many of the people who have lived in those places have been destroyed too.

SCOTLAND IS PEACEFUL - DECENT COMMUNITY SPIRIT LIVES ON!

SCOTLAND IS PEACEFUL and will remain so. Despite the buckets of rain that have been falling, the Edinburgh Festival is drawing confident and relaxed visitors from England, who say they are glad to be where they are; and there are other visitors from around the globe, who also say, sincerely, they are happy to be in Scotland.

Two males living in Scotland attempted to incite unrest, announcing on Facebook it was now UK wide. To reassure you, THE DISTURBANCES ARE NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN UK WIDE. The Scottish authorities stepped in fast. The two individuals are awaiting the process of the criminal justice system while in custody. Meantime, Scotland has sent specially trained groups of police officers to England to be deployed where they are considered to be most needed.

With the high human cost of the criminality and disruption, (disruption that now appears to be quelled) clear up is underway in which we have seen the wartime spirit of community. Individuals have been remarkable, some have lost their lives or been injured. A Turkish food outlet owner in N.E. London spoke of how his community defended their people and livelihoods, describing the cultural motivations that led to their self-defence. Similar drives prevailed in areas like Southall in West London and in Birmingham, in the Midlands and about eighty miles from London, sadly, three brave 'defenders' died.  Almost instant visual media has widely accessed the best and worst of our society for us all to see.

My hope is, that the beautiful spirit of community that so many people of all ethnic groups are demonstrating, will be constructively harnessed for good, and be supported in every constructive way possible. Politicians, unfortunately, have a history and a habit of getting in the way!