The morning of the attacks, I picked up the paper at the local newsstand, which read "Britain's Golden Day." Indeed that day did start out Golden. London had just celebrated the Live8 concert in Hyde Park that past weekend. There was also a Gay Pride parade, which I was proud to be at. That previous night, London had received the news of winning the Olympic bid over cities like New York and Paris. That day was supposed to be a celebration of London's success and excitement about its future. But that day, more than 40 people died, hundreds went missing and hundreds more are yet to be found.
However, it is the weekend after that really shows you the spirit of London. [Queen Elizabeth] said it best when she declared, "Those who perpetrate these brutal acts against innocent people should know that they will not change our way of life." This weekend in London, the trains are full -- the buses even more so -- and life is nearly back to normal. I was most inspired by the strong presence of the Muslim community here after the attacks. Several Londoners, many of Middle Eastern descent and Islamic faith, were enjoying the rare, beautiful weather picnicking in Hyde Park. In fact, there have been very few incidences of ignorance and hatred toward the Muslim community. This is especially true when compared to the many anti-Islamic, or even just xenophobic, events in the United States after 9/11. Being here during this time has given me immense respect for Londoners and all English people. Their resolve and honor is outstanding, and something we should all aspire to when dealing with situations as disastrous [as this].
-- Alexander Pasco
class of 2008
