some deaths more important than others

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

There was a recent similar case in China - I've already forgotten the details: were there any?

On the very day of the American killings (the news item on R4 in the morning had been dropped by lunchtime) a 32year-old attacked 22 seven-year-old primary school children in a village near Beijing. No child was killed, but many suffered severe injuries and all were (as you'd expect) seriously traumatised. Apparently, there has been an alarming increase in such incidents in recent months.

[scottycelt]

If, as a parent, your child dies, it is equally awful whether it be through the meaningless act of a deranged person, a car accident, or a typhoon.

Each parent deserves equal compassion - regardless of the means by which their child was taken from them.

Of course every bereaved parent deserves compassion, but surely that's not the point here.

The reason events like Connecticut, Dunblane etc are particularly shocking is because of the deliberate, brutal nature of it all. Most transport deaths etc are accidentally caused. No consolation to the bereaved of course, but the added knowledge that your child was randomly gunned down must surely add utter bewilderment to the grief.

Many families are affected by tragic deaths of children caused by illness as well as accidental deaths. Few have to endure the realisation and horror that their little child was deliberately murdered in cold blood.

[JFLL]

The truth of the matter is that those deaths on the road are not 'news' since they happen everyday. At least that is how the media spin it.

Yes, surely it’s a case of ‘Dog bites Man’ versus ‘Man bites Dog’, if looked at simply in journalistic terms? (To forestall misunderstandings, which seem all too frequent in threads with a socio-political slant, I’m not saying we should look at such issues simply in journalistic terms.)

[Mary Chambers]

The Connecticut deaths are of a wholly different order and genuinely shocking. These demonstrate the depths to which human behaviour is capable of sinking and the grief and misery caused in the wake of such appalling evil.

By his choice of military garb and weaponry the killer knew exactly what he was doing and deliberately chose the most innocent and vulnerable in society as the random target of his murderous rampage. He also murdered his own mother.

There is simply no comparison between such evil and horrifying acts and tragic, accidental events.

Isn't it probably a case of mental illness rather than 'evil'? Plus, of course, the fact that the American gun laws are absurd, and his mother had three guns in the house.

[anotherbob]

FWIW, I think that the people who have control of the media like to justify their own bad or manipulative behaviour by highlighting it in others.

Are you serious?

[teamsaint]

Are you serious?

yes.

Look at content on news , movies, TV drama, whatever.
Behaviour at the top of our society is quite dismal. Why wouldn't they want us to think that we need controlling?

Edit, just to clarify, and FWIW, the people who control the media would be be at political level and elsewhere, not necessarily functionaries at the BBC or wherever.(EG , the people in Whitehall who direct news agendas).

[scottycelt]

Isn't it probably a case of mental illness rather than 'evil'? Plus, of course, the fact that the American gun laws are absurd, and his mother had three guns in the house.

Were the New York and London terrorists 'mentally ill'? Were the Nazis responsible for the extermination camps 'mentally ill'? This mass killer, like the others, seems to have been mentally efficient enough to plan and successfully carry out his slaughter of the innocents.

I do agree that US gun laws are incomprehensible to most Europeans, including myself. There is a lot that Americans could do to alleviate gun crime if they have the collective will, which is sadly doubtful. Apparently Newtown is itself strongly pro-gun and there are reports there have even been enquiries with gunshops there to attain weapons since the massacre. Incredible if true.

However, as has been demonstrated in the UK, even making the supply of guns difficult will never stop some people from attaining these weapons and carrying out evil acts.

Such is the dark side of human nature, I'm afraid. That in itself acknowledges it must also have another lighter side, demonstrated by the coming together of the community to support the bereaved.

[Thropplenoggin]

I always find 'evil' an unhelpful term in such discussions.

One statistic mentioned in the Gary Younge article I quoted earlier said "84 people a day are killed with guns, and more than twice that number are injured with them". It seems a very high number. No source was given for this information.

[anotherbob]

(EG , the people in Whitehall who direct news agendas).

Wouldn't you say that these people had been rather unsuccesful of late? One instance would be the foolish attempts to inhibit the Daily Telegraph's investigation into the Culture Secretary's expenses claims.

[Mary Chambers]

I always find 'evil' an unhelpful term in such discussions.

I agree. I have yet to work out what it means - different things to different people, I suspect.

[scottycelt]

I always find 'evil' an unhelpful term in such discussions. .. .

Therefore, I assume you would always find the notion of 'good' equally unhelpful in discussions ... ?

[teamsaint]

Wouldn't you say that these people had been rather unsuccesful of late? One instance would be the foolish attempts to inhibit the Daily Telegraph's investigation into the Culture Secretary's expenses claims.

I think that overall they are very successful, though of course things don't always go the way they want. Happy to thrash this out, but perhaps elsewhere?

[Serial_Apologist]

Therefore, I assume you would always find the notion of 'good' equally unhelpful in discussions ... ?

"Good" is the opposite of a lot more things than "evil"!

[scottycelt]

"Good" is the opposite of a lot more things than "evil"!

"Bad"?

White is the opposite of Black ... whilst there are countless other shades in between there can only be one polar opposite. The concept of Light has no meaning if there is no Dark.

[amateur51]

I always find 'evil' an unhelpful term in such discussions.