tea and hope
Jul. 7th, 2005 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chelidonAs several of my U.K. friends, including ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
snakey and ravenedgewalker pointed out earlier today, the British response to extreme crisis, tragedy, and mayhem is to pour a nice cup of tea. Instead of, say, going on an ill-advised campaign of regional military conquest, or setting up a network of secret, unaccountable prisons into which you indefinitely throw anyone you think might perhaps be a terrorist. Proof once again that the British are considerably more civilized than we Yanks. I mean, there is certainly no love lost between the English and the French, but you don't see the English going around renaming it "Freedom kissing." Well, okay, in the case of many in the U.K., that would perhaps more properly be "Freedom slight nod of the head and an unobtrusive clearing of the throat." Still, the point is made.
Of course, the English nation has been through all of this before, and come out on the other side with some wisdom borne of adversity, and little further yen for world Empire. Been there, done that, made Indian people weave the T-shirt, lost the Empire, went home to have a nice cup of tea. Now there are probably more Indian and Pakistani people in England than there were ever English people in India, perhaps a subtle proof of the concept of karma. May we Yanks similarly learn the wisdom of perspective, and tea. Soon.
Now, following the wisdom of my friends across the pond, I shall sit and have a nice cup of Earl Grey and a couple of Hob Nobs. Take that, terrorists.
snakey and ravenedgewalker pointed out earlier today, the British response to extreme crisis, tragedy, and mayhem is to pour a nice cup of tea. Instead of, say, going on an ill-advised campaign of regional military conquest, or setting up a network of secret, unaccountable prisons into which you indefinitely throw anyone you think might perhaps be a terrorist. Proof once again that the British are considerably more civilized than we Yanks. I mean, there is certainly no love lost between the English and the French, but you don't see the English going around renaming it "Freedom kissing." Well, okay, in the case of many in the U.K., that would perhaps more properly be "Freedom slight nod of the head and an unobtrusive clearing of the throat." Still, the point is made.Of course, the English nation has been through all of this before, and come out on the other side with some wisdom borne of adversity, and little further yen for world Empire. Been there, done that, made Indian people weave the T-shirt, lost the Empire, went home to have a nice cup of tea. Now there are probably more Indian and Pakistani people in England than there were ever English people in India, perhaps a subtle proof of the concept of karma. May we Yanks similarly learn the wisdom of perspective, and tea. Soon.
Now, following the wisdom of my friends across the pond, I shall sit and have a nice cup of Earl Grey and a couple of Hob Nobs. Take that, terrorists.
