Are the lives of the slain VT students "more precious" than those of our soldiers?

Parent Cafe
21

<p>I guess I’m not the only one:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.680news.com/news/international/article.jsp?content=w042390A[/url]”>http://www.680news.com/news/international/article.jsp?content=w042390A&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>

</p>

<p>I agree with him.</p>

22

<p>soozievt, I wish more communities has memorials like the one in your town. Thanks for sharing that.</p>

23

<p>““I find it ironic that the flags were flown at half-staff for the young men and women who were killed at VT, yet it is never lowered for the death of a U.S. service member,” Wilt wrote.”</p>

<p>Just shows you how much the Administration really “supports the troops”. (It’s not “ironic” at all.)</p>

24

<p>Supporting the troops? His threat to punish the troops if Congress insists on a timetable shows his true feelings.</p>

25

<p>Perhaps during wartime, the flag should always be flown at half staff.</p>

26

<p>

</p>

<p>I never heard that idea before, but I like it.</p>

<p>I think the only reason why people are making more of a fuss about the VT deaths than Iraq deaths is that we get very upset when people get killed who were simply minding their own business. We get less upset at the more predictable deaths of people who took on jobs that involve putting their lives on the line. I saw the same thing after 9/11, when there was a whole lot more fuss about the office workers who died at the World Trade Center and the random people who died on the planes than about the military personnel killed at the Pentagon. (I live in the Washington area, and the father of a classmate of my son’s died at the Pentagon; we cared, but it didn’t seem that the rest of the country did.) Soldiers or cops or firemen getting killed in the line of duty is less upsetting than ordinary civilians getting killed at random moments, but it’s not because the lives of the former are any less precious. It’s just that we know that those people are risking their lives, but the deaths of the ordinary people – students at VT or desk workers in NYC – are unexpected.</p>

27

<p>A college professor in MA was fired this week - for exactly the subject of this post - it was felt to be callous and dis-respectful towards the VT situation.</p>

28

<p>Sadly (though perhaps understandably) we view the lives of those w/ whom we identify or have some connection more precisous than other lives. To the extend that families have (or hope to have) kids in college instead of in the military, the public feels the VTech shooting more acutely than the death of sevice wo/men. </p>

<p>Marian, speaking of Setp 11th, I recall being very troubled that a colleague who though the US should respond aggressively (but who would ship his son abroad if a draft were instituted), worried aloud every day that terrorists would attach Harvard, where his son was a student. </p>

<p>Similary, another colleage stated that she remained Bush supporter b/c he was very pro-Israel. A second colleage asked whether the first colleague, the mother of 3 sons, was worried about war and the prospect of a draft. The first responded, “no” b/c he sons would receive med exemptions.</p>

<p>Sgt. Wilt was correct.</p>

29

<p>“I think there’s a closer parallel between the VT victims and the Iraqi innocent bystanders who are being massacred for no reason every day.”</p>

<p>I agree. That aspect of the war is a tragedy unnoticed by most people in the US. Also, in modern wars, most of the casulties are civilians including women and children. They deserve to have their stories told. They deserve to have us pay attention. They deserve to have us let our voices be heard to stop the madness.</p>

30

<p>dig, I have had similar thoughts lately. The VT massacre was a horrible event, but at what point did it rise to the level of a national tragedy? Was it because it was a new record for school shooting? I don’t recall what the old record was. Would 20 dead have been treated as a national tragedy? 10? Where is the “national tragedy” level? This event has probably raised the bar. And I am not only thinking of our soldiers dying in Iraq (yes, they enlisted, but they didn’t ask to be blown up) but the civilians also on a much larger scale. As Bill Maher said, “32 dead is a good day in Iraq.”</p>

31

<p>Sure is. The news that a suicide bomber killed eight American troops yesterday didn’t even merit mention on the front page of the newspaper.</p>

<p>We have become callous to the daily deaths in Iraq, and most people no longer even count the dead; that’s how little their deaths mean to lay Americans.</p>

32

<p>I think possibly one of the reasons why VT happened is * because* we have numbed ourselves to the level of violence in our society
we ban exploding bullets but allow them to be sold on the internet.
the numbers of preschoolers killed by handguns
The films where weaponry are an intregal part
Not just the school shootings but the sheriffs murdering their wives infront of their children, muggings, and drive bys.</p>

<p>Possibly Virginia Tech was such a shock, because not only do the college students feel that they are living in a bubble, perhaps we think they are living in a bubble and aside from bad grades or wild frat parties, nothing horrible will happen to them.</p>

<p>I don’t think that we are numb to the level of injuries and dead in Iraq.
I think that many are still very aware and concerned, but unlike when I was 13 & I wore a POW bracelet, at 49 I have many more pressing worries than to stage a protest march to bring our kids home.</p>

<p>I did however, see a very good show- ( sorry I don’t even know the station)
at the gym a couple weeks ago. The concept was to interview medics in Iraq, and to briefly follow their patients.
<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wounded/la-na-wounded-series,0,936394.special[/url]”>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/wounded/la-na-wounded-series,0,936394.special&lt;/a&gt; Afriend & high school classmate of my daughters is stateside after he earned a Purple Heart. But he is much luckier than some, it made the show difficult to watch-even though I know that they are doing their best.
I felt for the medics, when they discussed the outcomes of some of the soldiers they tried so hard to save.
I don’t feel though- that just because there is a lot being said about the VT tragedy, that it diminishes the sacrifices made by our troops.</p>

<p>However- after hearing about lack of supplies/armor, state side medical care etc, canceling leaves, making wounded soldiers return… I think perhaps those who should show that they care about these men and women, are those who have the money and power to do something about it.
<a href=“http://www.salon.com/news/2007/03/11/fort_benning/?source=whitelist[/url]”>http://www.salon.com/news/2007/03/11/fort_benning/?source=whitelist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>[bakesales</a> for body armor](<a href=“http://www.bakesalesforbodyarmor.org/]bakesales”>http://www.bakesalesforbodyarmor.org/)</p>

33

<p>*We have become callous to the daily deaths in Iraq, and most people no longer even count the dead; that’s how little their deaths mean to lay Americans.
*</p>

<p>I am not sure what “lay” americans means?</p>

<p>Amateurs?
Civilians?
Politicians?</p>

34

<p>Nobody’s life is more precious than anyone else’s. People die every day, some of natural causes, some in tragic circumstances. The circumstances of one death’s does not determine the value of that person’s life.</p>