Hi, not sure that we're not displaying any emotion in response to the horrendous bomings of thurs, just a refusal to let it affect our way of life. This girl, who was in one of the trains that was blown up, writes with emotion, clarity, humour and is an inspiration to us all at the moment (this version: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4670099.stm is the bbc edited one; the initial posts were made on a community bulletin board here: http://www.urban75.org/london/bombs.html)

Thanks for the links. Of course emotion is being displayed, but cultures display their emotions differently from one another. This is a big subject today - there's been a debate about it on 5 Live. Dealt in stereotypes somewhat. "A refusal to let it affect our way of life" - in Spain, of course, a government fell on the back of the bombings. Which is definitely letting it affect your way of life.

Most demonstrations in Britain tend to be about demanding things of government or the authorities. In theory at least, if enough people go on demonstrations, the powers-that-be might be convinced and, for example, enact a law or adapt a policy. A demonstration of this type in response to the bombings would obviously make no sense - few believe that the terrorists are likely to change their views as a result of the pleas of demonstrators.
There is little tradition in Britain of the type of expression of mass grief that we saw in Madrid after 11M. It isn't that the British aren't feeling that grief; it's simply that there it normally wouldn't occur to anyone to take to the streets as people do so frequently as they do in Spain. They don't feel a need to bear witnesss to their feelings in the same way.

Nós, brasileiros, não estamos tão certos assim sobre a suposta fleugma britânica. O assassinato de nosso jovem compatriota, que se dirigia para o trabalho, com cinco ou mais tiros na cabeça, não é uma prova da perda do autocontrole emocional por parte da Scotland Yard???