Loving the Internet

I'm so happy that it allows me to read the BBC news. 

I'm happy that it allows me to see the reactions of people who make sense to me.  Londoners going on about their lives.  London religious leaders of all faiths working together to try to create a cohesive community. 

I was very weirded out, yesterday, by having someone tell me that anyone who wore a rag instead of a hat should be made to go back to their own country.  Eventually I began to tell him about a Muslim guy I used to work with, a good kid who was quite upset by 9/11, and suddenly the ranter remembered a similarly nice person he'd known in the past who had explained to him that this terrorism shit is not what Islam is about.  So, he didn't really mean it, he knew better, he was just angry. 

Strangest of all, perhaps, is that people weren't talking that much about it.  It was a topic among my co-workers, because we see it in terms of being in our line of work, but it did not incite huge amounts of conversation.  (Perhaps it repressed some, though.  Yesterday was not a big talking day.)  A couple of passengers mentioned it, because if you're flying your awareness is going to be slightly higher.  I did notice that most of the passengers seemed to be really nice, yesterday. 

eor said that where he works it was completely ignored, and he's not sure he wants to talk with people he works with at all, anymore. 

Damn, I need tea.  Oh!  Speaking of which, I totally adore yonmei's new tea icon!

edited to add: with her permission, I've archived the tea icon for your pleasure.