A little controversy

[bmbl]

I just wanted to share a few things that I have been thinking about with respect to the events of the last few days.
As I observe all the homage that has been paid to the astronauts who died in the breakup of Columbia, I have to compare them to other people who have died recently. As I am sure we are all aware, there have been servicemen who have given their lives in the service of there country over the last year. (Disclaimer - I never was in the military.) Now whether or not you agree with the politics of what is going on in the middle east, you must agree that the soldiers who died, did so because they were defending our country. In these instances, I don't know about anyone else, but all I have heard about that is typically no more than a minute or two on the 7 o'clock news. No flags nationwide flying at half mast, no president on TV announcing their death, etc.
On the other hand, these scientists doing research died due to a tragic and unfortunate accident, and they get hours and hours of media coverage and all the nation is in mourning. Now I am not criticizing the attention, or minimizing the loss. I am just saying that I think maybe we as a nation have minimized the loss of soldiers who are defending our country .

[Frank Booth]

[ 04-04-2003, 09:14 PM: Message edited by: Frank Booth ]

[Mike Tx]

Dale Earnhart has a street named after him.

[Frank Booth]

[ 04-04-2003, 09:14 PM: Message edited by: Frank Booth ]

[nickg]

quote:

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Originally posted by Frank Booth:
Also, Americans love a good tragedy. There was one lady crying on TV, who had no apparent family connection to the disaster. She sobbed and said she needed to bring all her kids down to the site where the piece of debris had embedded itself into the parking lot of a Texas bank. She said she her kids needed "closure". Puh-LEASE......

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that IS rather ridiculous.

[shooter1201]

In the same light were the 'grief counselors' made available to talk to pre-schoolers immediately after '9/11'....to 'help' allieve their 'fears'. Trust me...these 'counselors' were NOT 'there' for those kids...they were 'there' to toot their own horns.

WHAT FEARS?!? What could 3-4 year olds KNOW about hijackings, suicide bombers, etc.....unless some ADULTS 'planted' those 'fears' in their young, impressionable minds?

[Delta_V]

quote:

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Originally posted by bmbl:
On the other hand, these scientists doing research died due to a tragic and unfortunate accident, and they get hours and hours of media coverage and all the nation is in mourning.

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Actually, most of the astronauts on the shuttle were military officers. Not to say that their deaths should weigh more than other servicemen, but they aren't just scientists.

[Mitzi1]

I cried when the shuttle broke down. They were SO close. At one point, you could actually see the shuttle and it was leaning to the right. But I don't feel the need for "closure". That's ridiculous. The whole nation feels bad but life goes on.

[shrill]

I think it's shame we don't give the same respect. It was a shame when all of England mourned Diana Princess of Wales while Mother Theresa barely got a mention. Never mind that whereas Diana did next to nothing MT devoted her whole life to sevice. It really comes down to Diana being a glamourous Princess while MT was a simple little old lady. Is the same principle at work here?

[shooter1201]

quote:

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Diana did next to nothing

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I don't guess you remember all her work to rid the world of landmines, do you?

[shrill]

I suppose what I really meant was that in comparison to MT she did next to nothing. Ultimately she didn't do very much anyway.

[jellybean40]

And she also helped the poor and the sick and the "common people." I think the attention she got SHOWS how much she was loved. you cant delegate to people who they're allowed to care about.

As for the deaths of the astronauts, and servicemens deaths, unfortunately i think that in war death is more accepted. i said the same thing when this discussion came up regarding 9/11. i dont like weighing one life over another. but i think an unexpected tragedy is always more painful.

and regarding the way people grieve, everybody is different and some are more emotional.

[dc298]

The shuttle disaster was on TV and with the help of replays occurred before our very eyes, Thousands actually saw it as it happened.. (as did the first shuttle disaster) People saw history unfold it embraced and captured them... In British Columbia, 7 teeagers from a High school in Calgary died in an avalanche while skiing.. It never made the news for two days... both are disasters, one was professionals on a dangerous mission the other was children playing...The media(all types) got more out of one than the other and had to play to the largest audience..

[That Guy]

quote:

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..We pay people who can jump high or run fast millions of dollars per year..

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Yeah but most people in here along with the rest of the US WATCH on TV and go to the events. All the money spent on tickets to T- shirts pay for them.
How many people who watched the Superbowl agree with your statement? A lot.
I agree with ya Frank thats why I dont watch major league sports anymore.

TG

[shooter1201]

I don't watch, attend or otherwise support major league sports, either. Heck, I can't even tell you WHO won the SuperBowl. Of course, if my daughter's left-handed, 90mph pitcher boyfriend makes it to the BIG LEAGUES, all that will change.