Aftermath & Afterthoughts I

Aftermath

Immediately, security has become our biggest concern. Talks about a modern police force, NSG for states other than just for Delhi, better training and equipment, heightened security at hotels are everywhere. But if we really think about it, these are all short term solutions (even thou in a country like ours, even their implementation will take a half a century.) Our problem is understanding that this is not a local, state level, or even national situation - its a change in the way we look at security and the way we regard human life. Every single one of us. In our very conciousness.

As an immediate action, security at hotels has been beefed up. Security at airports has been beefed up. Security at malls has been beefed up. Is that really a viable solution - Can a couple of armed gaurds prevent 10 fanatics with machine guns from taking lives? Not only is that answer obvious, we have to understand that it cant be implemented across the board. Every school, every train station, every market place, every theatre, every bar is still open to attack... we cant cover them all, we shouldnt have to cover them all.

The approach has to be bigger & broader - bottom up and top down and meeting at the center at which u and me sit. At the topmost level intelligence, its monitoring, and ensuring that its used optimally starts the process. People to make sure that it isnt put into a file and slid into a stack of reports follow. Army and NSG available swifty if needed. Modernisation of weapons and training of local forces. All of this needs to happen, together & hand in hand - failure at any of these levels will stem the next rounds of disaster.

Afterthought

For the first time, the common Mumbaikar has emotions laced with rage lashing out against the way our cores have been attacked. Everyone wants answers. Everyone wants someone to take responsibility and ensure that this does not happen again. Everyone understands the need of ensuring that the mechanisms in place need to be revamped, modernised and most importantly passed through regular check and accountibilty tests. The question that we all ask is - HOW?

Where does the commom man go if he feels that the people in the estates of the judiciary & legislative are not doing their jobs? He cant - one controls the other and they're both power seeking. Besides, u and me would never get a chance to even get close to anyone worth anything past the z-security and the lines of PR command. So then is the fourth estate the commom man's voice? Nah, they're usually busy with telecasting celebrity voice - cause u and me want to watch exactly just that.

Aftermath & Afterthought

Nothing I've thought or felt is unique to me. All of us feel this way today. But how long before the Reliance stock price, the credit crunch, the next production problem, or the next sales report, replaces the images from the last two days. All of us also understand the need of the hour - better systems and more accountability. But how do we even start the come together to make that happen? We're anyways a very cynical and disgruntled bunch. Will we once again in a few weeks say - fuck it, they're all the same; forget it man, how the hell are u going to ask what happened to the report when no one is going to discuss national security with u and me; how do we find out what the government plans to do, at the local level, at the state level, at the central level - will that information be shared with me? how do i have the confidence its going to amount to something? its pointless..

Three days after the attacks, I'm already thinking these things.. i'm scared that this is going to ebb away soon. But i'm going to make every effort to ensure it doenst - and the thoughts that circle in my head stay there, focussed even in their disarray. Meanwhile if some one can tell me what I can do to help, I'm all ears.