Between vigilance and suspicion

There's an interesting read on BBC about the changing attitude and behaviour of people using the London public transit.

'Following the London bomb attacks, there have been stories swapped all over the capital of people switching seats because of "suspicious" passengers.

And targets of that suspicion have talked about their sense of frustration at the unsubtle attention of other travellers.

Even though people say little when they're travelling, there's plenty going on inside - fears of danger, changed routes, calculations to avoid risks, guilt at making stereotypical assumptions, anger at being unfairly distrusted.

In the rather unreal atmosphere of familiar places facing unfamiliar threats, people are taking note of actions and appearances they wouldn't usually see.'

Some comments by Britons in response to the story (note: Asian here means Asian, not Oriental as we like to think in Canada):

'I can't avoid carrying a big rucksack with my mobile office in when I travel. As I'm an Asian male that's been getting suspicious looks, I've taken to carrying a bottle of wine as if I'm taking it home for dinner. It's ironic, I don't even like wine, but it's a clear visual symbol that says I'm not a fanatic Islamic bomber.'

'I am British Asian. I was born here in London and I love the place. I have been travelling on the Northern Line to work every morning for the past 8 years without incident. After the recent bombings, I've noticed that I've been getting persistent looks and sneers on the underground...'

'It is almost impossible not to look around you as get onto a train these days. I know I have done it and sat there worried. The only worry you have is what you'd do if you think someone does look suspicious. You won't want to challenge them but you won't want to move away for fear of inciting panic and insulting to the person who will almost certainly turn out to be innocent of nothing more than going to work with their gym kit...'

'You'll have to excuse me for being wary of my fellow passangers especially young muslim males carrying backpacks. Next you'll be telling me I'm infringing their human rights. I have a basic human right to travel to work without a young muslim male carrying a backpack blowing the train up. Four have done it already. At least four more tried unsuccessfully. Do I feel guilty about offending someone? Not in the slightest.'

'The way London commuters now feel is to be expected, but this is just the start of what's to come. These London bombs will be a part of history that will stand out as the date when a race split across Europe began. It's a horrible world we are standing on the edge of.'

'...as a white comuter you should ask yourself do you always opt to sit next to another white person - chances are, you've not changed your behaviour after the bombing because you always did sit next to another white person anyway.'

'Being an Asian, I have noticed many people looking at me curiously/suspiciously while on trains and buses. I try to ignore those staring by solving SuDoKu puzzles but does not always help. Also, I have swapped my slightly bigger bag for a softer smaller one because of the 'rucksack phenomenon'...'

'Now the general public has been introduced to the plight of the black man. I am a chemistry PhD student, a research and teaching assistant but that does not seem to be enough to make others feel comfortable. I too make my own declarations: doing work on my computer, grading papers or reading some chemical journal with a molecule in full view, but I still see some women clutch their purses a little more tightly or some men making sure their wallets are still there as I pass. To survive, you have to train yourself to just let it go. Perhaps when the fear subsides and the london public returns to a fair sense of normalcy, we will learn the more appropriate of the two lesson here: Don't judge.' (This guy writing in from the United States)