February 02, 2003
Another reason to hate the Islamofascists
Like Glenn Reynolds, Mark Steyn, and others have noted, the Columbia disaster did not have the same affect on me as the loss of the Challenger did. The outpouring of grief after the Challenger didn't happen this time. Because of the opening of the next front in the war, the murder of 3000 people during the Atrocity, and the events that have occurred thereafter, what happened in 1986 isn't happening today.
Frankly, the fact that we are not engaged the way we were back then bothers me. I think it is a result of our becoming colder as nation since September 11. Since that day, we've all had to become a little colder and a little harder in our view of the world. We've spent the past 18 months battling the Saurons and Sarumans of the world, and the process has hardened our own hearts somewhat, lest in our need for peace we fall prey to those who dream of blood and chaos and death. We've had to do it. If we did not harden ourselves, we would be prey to those whose souls are bitter, dark, and cold.
However, in the process of hardening ourselves to the evils we now confront, we've hardened ourselves to other things as well. That means that this latest tragedy does not affect us like it would have otherwise. Things that in other times, September 10 times, would have caused us to shed a tear, mourn a loss, today are met with a shrug and a "Big deal, there's a war on," mentality. Had we gone over the top in times past with Oprahesque mourningfests? Yes, probably we did, and I can think of more than a few instances right off the top of my head. However, this time, maybe we've gone too far the other way. I understand why, and in these dark days perhaps it is necessary we do.
But it saddens me that we've had to harden our hearts in such a manner. It is yet one more thing the Islamofascists have taken from us on that clear Tuesday afternoon. It is another reason why I hate them, and hate what they have done, and am pledged to their eradication. I don't want my nieces and nephews to grow up having to harden themselves the way I've had to harden myself. Hopefully, when we win, perhaps they won't have to.
Posted by John Bono at February 2, 2003 02:18 PM | TrackBackJohn, don't be too hard on Americans.
We've been through a lot and there's more ahead: I think we're suffering from some degree of "shell shock."
As someone pointed out, we lost 4 soldiers in Afghanistan just last week and not many people noticed.
And we know that the Iraq attack is going to happen soon with its casualties.
At least the Columbia crew were killed by a horrible mechanical failure and not murdered by their fellow man as were the 3000 on 9/11.
The human spirit can only stand so much violent death and in the last 18 months, we've all seen plenty, not just on 9/11 but in Israel, Bali, Moscow...etc, etc.
You're right, there is only so much death one can tolerate before numbness sets in. My reactions to the loss of the shuttle haven't much different from those I describe. I am lamenting the fact that I and others have become numb, that the numbness has come from the routine acts of brutality that Islamofascism has inflicted, and the war we've had to fight against them. I'm angry for the hardness they've inflicted on our own hearts, on my heart. I think the fact that we've numbed ourselves is necessary to fight what is ahead. However, I am angry because such an attitude has become necessary, and I hate the Islamofascists for doing that to us.
Posted by: John Bono on February 2, 2003 03:20 PMYeah, me,too, but the best we can hope for is to humanize the deaths as much as possible and then try and accept it as part of Life, or at least as part of Life post 9/11.
I heard Laura Bush say that she tries to remember each soldier's death by remembering their name, at least.
As long as we remember that each and every life is precious and that they were somebody's father, sister, brother, mother, wife, husband, best friend,son or daughter then we're OK and that they were a special person, unlike anyone else.
And I think we're aware that there are potentially more deaths ahead because of our War on IslamoFascism.
At least these Columbia astronauts died free and doing what they wanted so much to do.
Also, I'm sick of the Media trying to manipulate our feelings a certain way and turn our emotions off and on like a spigot.
Then, they berate us for "not caring enough" about the space program when they'd had almost no coverage of this or any other mission for a long time!
For the last 2 weeks, we've had solid "Where's Lacy?/Let's talk to Scott Petersen" and almost nothing about the Columbia and her crew until those fine people were killed!
I saw some newscasts about the "Columbia" and followed them closely. I also read about them in the papers. The weird posts on the DU were talked about (Democratic Underground). But I didn't get what that "feeding frenzy" was all about after the tragedy...After all, its still early in the "investigation".
I first heard about the crash on PBS and then turned on CBS when I got home.
Posted by: Steve Plonk on February 3, 2003 10:59 AMI heard about the "Columbia" crash around 10:45 am (eastern standard) on February 1st. Then the "speculation" and "hypotheticals" started. It's only human. But some of the speculation was far-fetched. It was reiterated that terrorism was not involved in "Columbia" disaster.
Posted by: Steve Plonk on February 3, 2003 11:04 AM
