A few 9/11 anniversary thoughts.

I grew up in England, near London, during the height of the IRA's and UDF's reign of terror on the UK. In my life, there are 5 or 6 places I have frequented or visited that were bombed by the IRA, and where people died, including some people I knew. But life carried on.

And when 7/7 happened in London, I couldn't have been prouder of my fellow countrymen, for telling the terrorists, in no uncertain terms, that they wouldn't be cowed or browbeaten into submission, by just going down to the pub and drinking a defiant pint or two. After all, if Hitler and the IRA couldn't intimidate Londoners, then a bunch of low-rent Muslim terrorists really don't stand much of a chance.

However, one thing is certain: in the UK, no politician, not Thatcher, Blair or even Boris Johnson would ever dare contemplate the use of any such tragedy for direct political advantage. Ever.

So,when I say I'm disgusted with McCain & Palin for doing just that, please understand where I'm coming from. For me terrorism is not an abstract notion, but a real and present danger, and one which tells us about ourselves by the way we respond. Nietzsche once wrote: "Those who hunt monsters, must be careful not to become monsters", and I think that's a prime and moral imperative in our fight against terrorism. We cannot let ourselves become what we despise, whatever the temptation or provocation.

For McCain to be such a fearmonger, is a reprehensible and vile act by a venal man. But it won't work. Not on me, nor on the average American or Brit.

Senator McCain and Governor Palin, let me say this on the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy: I am not frightened by our enemies, nor will I condone the efforts by you and your cronies to scare us into submission. If you want to be scared, by something you don't understand, instead of confronting it, that's fine by me, but I, for one, will not be a hostage to your fears. Not now, not ever.

And if Barack Obama wins this election, neither will the rest of us.