small, non needed rant

[protege]

edit: (after being gazumped by Protege) I'd just like to point out the 'we' in your statement, Protege. There are massive 'disasters' all around the world that don't get the same amount of (dare I use the term) 'hype'. To put it bluntly - "9/11" has been disproportionately focussed on (compared to, say, 1 million Kosovo refugees, 800 000 Tutsies in Rwanda, approx 25 million Russians killed during WW2 etc etc...). As for the other effects??? Sheesh!...

I didn't mean to gazump you. Sorry it came off that way--it was intended for the OP.

I'm not saying that there aren't other disasters. However, those things--floods, hurricanes, storms, etc. are usually accepted as part of life. What is *not* a normal part of life, is having some assholes fly planes into buildings and kill innocent civilians. That's what everyone is upset about. That's why the media focuses on it.

Trouble in Africa doesn't seem to generate the same headlines that 9/11 does. Maybe it's because nobody really understands the conflicts, and few Americans have actual "connections" with Africa. A shame, since it's a neat place As to Kosovo, I'm not sure why the refugees aren't mentioned more. Maybe it's another case of not understanding things? I do know that the 1990-99 civil war in the former Yugoslavia got plenty of coverage. Maybe now that things have wound down a bit, there's no interest? Again, a shame.

[Greenday]

Flying those planes into the twin towers is to the war in Afghanistan what Pearl Harbor was to the the Pacific theater of WWII. The start of war. Can't sic natural disasters on each other. Maybe because, *gasp*, genocide in Rwanda and stuff going on in Kosovo don't affect us, thus most people don't pay attention to it. Weird, Americans ARE like people from other countries. I bet, if I went to the UK or Canada, and I asked random people what they were doing to stop the genocide in Rwanda, the answer would be "Nothing". Most people don't get involved unless it directly affects them. 9/11 had an effect on us, thus we respond to it. You generally have a reaction to something that leads your country to war.

[Rapscallion]

I think we have a troll in our midst

Garfalk's a regular on the DP forum, which has a link on the front page to here.

Rapscallion

[Slytovhand]

@Protege - nwf - 'gazumped' as in, I had my reply open and was typing - but since I'm at work, it takes a lot longer to finally hit the 'post' button, thus yours ended up hitting here first - that's all

And, while for the most part I agree entirely with what you've written, there's a word in there that needs to but put in massive bold font (preferably in colours other than green - or white, as it turns out... it's "MEDIA" - and let's face it - the US is the home central of all things 'media' like.

And @ Protege and Greenday... and any other USians - yep. Very true, when something happens in your own backyard, you're far more likely to sit up and take note... and keep on taking note, than if it's in someone else's in some other part of the world. Just curious - do you think there has been made more of the Twin Towers bombing than there was for Pearl Harbour (since it came up in discussion??)

But the OP was about expressing humour - tis all I was really wanting to comment on.


Slyt

[Greenday]

Honestly, I can't really tell you. I can only give my opinions for the twin towers because it happened during my time. Pearl Harbor happened much earlier before I was born.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I'm sorry, but saying that statement came out of left field doesn't even cover it. Where the hell does that statement come from?

Bigotry would be my guess.

[katie kaboom]

So you don't care about 9/11 huh? Well i guess that's because it didn't affect you personally. You weren't there to witness the biggest tragedy in American history and presumably you don't know anyone who was a victim of the attacks. So while YOU may not care, plenty of people do, because their lives were forever changed on that day. You don't want to have respect for the people that died in the attacks then at least have respect for those who lost a loved one and/or witnessed the horror of that day.

[Saydrah]

I didn't see this thread earlier, but honestly, 9-11 didn't affect me either. I remember exactly where I was when I heard (a bus, heard it on the radio, and I thought it was a radio drama, and even sat there imagining how people were probably going to panic all War of the Worlds style) but I didn't have the fear or depression or knee-jerk jingoism that a lot of people felt after the attacks.

3,000 people died-- big tragedy, but many bigger ones happen every day. My heart goes out to anyone who loses a relative, particularly in a sudden and violent way, or before their time in general. I certainly sympathize with the families of the victims. However, I think the bigger tragedy than the death of 3,000+ Americans was the death of our civil liberties in the aftermath of 911, which mass hysteria and grief precipitated.

If people had been less busy uttering platitudes about patriotism and more busy opposing legislation like the PATRIOT Act, we'd be in a better spot today.

[Flyndaran]

...You weren't there to witness the biggest tragedy in American history and presumably you don't know anyone who was a victim of the attacks. ....

Wow. That is one of the most offensive things I've read in quite a while.
How dare you belittle all the more horrific tragedies in american history.
Do you consider the trail of tears a mere bummer?
Do you consider the 1906 San Francisco earthquake a tiny hiccough?
Do you consider the bombing of Pearl Harbor a skirmish?
Do you consider hurricane Katrina a tiny drizzle?

Please watch your posts, before someone complains.

[katie kaboom]

Please watch your posts, before someone complains.

No need to do that. I'll just delete the post and leave the forum.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Wow. That is one of the most offensive things I've read in quite a while.
How dare you belittle all the more horrific tragedies in american history.
Do you consider the trail of tears a mere bummer?
Do you consider the 1906 San Francisco earthquake a tiny hiccough?
Do you consider the bombing of Pearl Harbor a skirmish?
Do you consider hurricane Katrina a tiny drizzle?

Please watch your posts, before someone complains.

This is Fratching. It's where we go to complain. You're in the right place.

I hear where you are coming from with this, but consider: the only one of those that we witnessed, that happened in our lifetimes, was Katrina.

And Katrina was a natural disaster. It wasn't calculated, cold blooded murder. It wasn't an act of war. People freaked out over Pearl Harbor the same way because it was pretty much the same thing. The only difference, really, is the body count for the 9/11 attacks was much higher. And that we actually remember the 9/11 attacks as part of our generational experience.

We hear about Pearl Harbor. We saw on TV innocent souls leaping to their deaths out of burning skyscrapers as it happened. We fielded frantic phone calls from loved ones. I personally had to go to work and help run emergency news feeds. It's part our collective experience. I am the one who told my horror stricken husband that thousands were crushed to death by collapsing towers. My experience is pretty light and easy compared to many. My point is, it was and is personal to us. That's what makes it different. That's why we dont' compare it to the Trail of Tears or the San Fran earthquake, because for us, it is NOT the same thing.

[Boozy]

All right, now. Everyone needs to settle down.

First, a reminder that there is a report button here, just like at CS. Any offensive posts can be reported.

Second, no one should feel (or be made to feel) that their opinions aren't welcome here. You can agree or disagree with another member, but I think we all agree that this forum is a good place to voice those controversial opinions.

And there is no need to delete posts. If you've said it, stand behind it.

[Ree]

Wow. That is one of the most offensive things I've read in quite a while...

...Please watch your posts, before someone complains.

Did you even bother to read the post that you quoted and took entirely out of context?

The day you ever report a post because it offends you will be an incredible day, indeed, as you seem to thrive on lashing out and attacking in the threads, rather than following site protocol and sticking to a discussion and respectful debate of the issues.

Hopefully, in time, you will actually learn where the report button is when you see something that so highly offends you that you feel the need to viciously question the character of your fellow members.