9. To Those Who take advantage of Tragedy

Yesterday, London was hit by a series of explosions to the transport system. A number of people have lost their lives and there are numerous wounded. This barbaric act, another one in this mad world of ours, has hit hard - to none more so than the Londoner and the Brit.

I called my mother yesterday, checked that all was okay. I did the normal things in life during such times, I worried and checked.

This morning I switched on the news, CNN are calling it "Terror in London" - a catchy title! It looks like they are giving it twenty-four hour coverage! But it was when I switched on my computer to pick up the mornings emails, I realized that so many people in this world are supersonic fast in benefiting themselves through tragedy! One of the emails that I received was from an Immigration Consultancy Firm in Canada called ACIC and the email was signed by a Russell Monsurate. He said:

To everyone we have come to know at ACIC:

We would like to express our sorrow and sympathy for those who have just experienced a very barbaric and unprovoked attack in London this morning, July 7, 2005. This was an attack not just on the United Kingdom, but on the civilized people of the world.

As Canadians we hope we speak for our country when we say our support is with those who are suffering through this trying time and with the government of Britain in their investigation into this matter. In the end justice will prevail.

I live in Taiwan. I am from Scotland; I have not been home for nearly three years! I recall in the dim past that I once had the idea of moving to Canada and that I filled out an application form for ACIC but I am sure that nobody at the firm ever came close to "knowing me"! Why would anybody on this planet want to send me an unsolicited email like the one above? It is neither the time nor place for Canadian Immigration Lawyers to send spam like emails when the British are trying to cope and return to life as they once knew it!

Further to this I had another email from a publisher requesting use of an article that I wrote on "how to cope with stress" and using a reason for requesting this piece as follows:

"In light of the recent London tragedy, as well as the ongoing tragedies of kidnapping and child abduction, our first reference will focus on "stress reduction."

Didn't take you long to get off the mark! In fact the email I received from these publishers was written and sent in less than twelve hours after the actual explosions occurred in London. That must have been a straight rush to the computer that one frightening stuff!

I expect in the next few days that I will receive many more like those mentioned above but at least they waited a day or two before jumping on the wagon!

Ieuan Dolby
Author and Webmaster of SeaDolby.Com
Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 8th July 2005