Panic on the streets of London

By the time the third bullet entered Jean Charles de Menezes' head, I'd like to think this thing called "Western civilization" still had a chance to live. But then: bullet #4. Bullet #5. Bullet #6. Bullet #7.

Since watching the PBS documentary about Emma Goldman for the second time this past week, I've been thinking a lot about the state's monopoly on murder. And why it's only when the state exercises its monopoly on murder do we call it something other than "murder": capital punishment, collateral damage, war.

Something the state's monopoly on murder should never be called, however, is an "accident."

Example of an accident--"oops, I slipped and accidentally pulled the trigger."

But then: bullet #2. Bullet #3. Bullet #4. Bullet #5. Bullet #6. Bullet #7. And he was pinned down while the trigger was pulled.

So, yes: there is terrorism in London. But don't you feel safer already? As long as your skin is rosy pink like Tony Blair's....