Another Bombing

On occasion, humanity makes me want to hurl.

This is usually when there are large acts of random violence such as happened just today in Mumbai. Seven explosions happened on Mumbai's commuter train network during rush hour, likely in the first-class cabins. Having been there just months ago, and experienced rush hour, I can guarantee that there will be many dead or certainly injured depending on the strength of the bombs.

My first impression of Mumbai was the trains. I remember clearly coming in through the slums, rickety shacks lining the narrow open spaces by the tracks. Several boys were out with plastic bats playing at cricket, immune to their surroundings. When we arrived at the station, Chesa and I made our way through the swarms of people onto the first-class cabin of one of the commuter trains and went into Churchgate, the station from which these trains departed. It was getting toward six when we arrived but we were coming into town, so there was not the crush of people that we had feared. Luggage in hand we started walking to find a place to stay in the center of town. For blocks we continued slowly making our way against the current, the flood of people heading to the station to get out of town. There were so many people I remember thinking to myself, 'This seems like some sort of mass exodus. Did something happen downtown that we don't know about? Should we be fleeing for our lives?' It was just that many people!

And so, I can imagine what it must have been like on those trains, the sheer numbers of people that had to have been involved. Most recent tally: 190 dead, over 500 injured. My heart weeps.

Also, and I've said this before, the thing that is getting to me is that these terrorists seem to be following me. Or maybe it's just that I'm well traveled. But New York, Madrid, London, Manila (the one I came closest to), Varanasi (should have been there), and now Mumbai. Earthquakes used to follow me. Now it appears to be terrorists. For shame!