Unqualified Offerings

Grief Not Grievances

12 Responses to “Grief Not Grievances”

1. Comment by ogged —
   April 17, 2007 @ 10:16 pm

   We could, but then we’d be five minutes behind.

2. Comment by Thoreau —
   April 17, 2007 @ 11:03 pm

   But…but…but the others got on their preexisting hobbyhorses first!

3. Comment by Happy Jack —
   April 17, 2007 @ 11:13 pm

   It’s not the hopping on that irritates me. It’s the people who are falling off the saddle.

4. Comment by Dave W. —
   April 18, 2007 @ 7:49 am

   You mean show our sadnesses by posting on political message boards about how sad we are, or by being sad in private? If a person sobs when he is all alone, does it even make a sound?

   Politically, I think the latest mass murder is interesting precisely because it has made some people on both sides of a very polarized debate rethink things a bit (although no one ever admits that that is what they are doing). On average, something like 27 (10,000 / 365) people are killed by others firing guns in the US. yet, on most days when you talk to people about the issue, they are either gun rights extremists or gun banners, and never the twain shall meet, precisely because the 27 are scattered around and presumed to be mostly criminals.

5. Comment by Jesse Walker —
   April 18, 2007 @ 8:53 am

   Note to Dave W.: You could have saved a lot of effort and just typed “No.”

6. Comment by Dave W. —
   April 18, 2007 @ 10:30 am

   It would only be a “pre-existing hobbyhorse ” if I had known, before the recent tragedy, that 27 people on average are fatally shot by others per day in the US. I hadn’t. I only calculated the number in response to the tragedy, and to some gentle urging at another blog that anecdotal evidence is of little use.

   Mr. Henley also may not have known this fact about the number 27. Presumably if he did he would spend five minutes being “really sad” each and every day. Effectively what I am telling him, and you, is that we should channel our grief into learning here. Not snarks.

7. Comment by wkmaier —
   April 18, 2007 @ 12:04 pm

   Jim, I just wrote a letter to the editor of my local, saying the same thing, and also using the word hobbyhorse! If only I believed in Rod Serling…

8. Comment by Mr. Obscura —
   April 18, 2007 @ 1:24 pm

   Yes. Please.

   Memo to both polarities: Look, we all know what you’re going to say. So why not just assume that we know you’re going to say it, and spare us the bother of having to listen to you. The folks on your side will agree with you, the folks on the other won’t, and those of us in the middle will think that both of you look like ghouls.

9. Comment by Dave W. —
   April 18, 2007 @ 1:54 pm

   . . . those of us in the middle . . .

   This is a great time for those in the middle to speak up. Those in the middle on gun issues don’t speak up nearly enough.

10. Comment by Eric the .5b —
    April 18, 2007 @ 2:02 pm

    So why not just assume that we know you’re going to say it, and spare us the bother of having to listen to you. The folks on your side will agree with you, the folks on the other won’t, and those of us in the middle will think that both of you look like ghouls.

    If y’all in the middle will refrain from freaking out and going along with the panicky early-reacters, you have a deal.

    But that means things like not passing some pointless law, presumably named after one of the victims, that even the briefest thought shows wouldn’t have stopped the tragedy.

11. Comment by Mr. Obscura —
    April 18, 2007 @ 2:27 pm

    If y’all in the middle will refrain from freaking out and going along with the panicky early-reacters, you have a deal.

    Deal.

12. Comment by brucedene —
    April 18, 2007 @ 3:53 pm

    We’re all free to quote from this Boingboing link:

    Many people will use this terrible tragedy as an excuse to put through a political agenda other than my own. This tawdry abuse of human suffering for political gain sickens me to the core of my being. Those people who have different political views from me ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of cheap partisan point-scoring at a time like this. In any case, what this tragedy really shows us is that, so far from putting into practice political views other than my own, it is precisely my political agenda which ought to be advanced.
    Not only are my political views vindicated by this terrible tragedy, but also the status of my profession. Furthermore, it is only in the context of a national and international tragedy like this that we are reminded of the very special status of my hobby, and its particular claim to legislative protection. My religious and spiritual views also have much to teach us about the appropriate reaction to these truly terrible events.

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