How we die

[[AK]Nuts]

I read an interesting article about a year ago about the way people have died over the past 2000 years. Researchers learned that less than 1% of all people who have died in the past 2 millennia were killed in war.

So, in the big picture, and no disgrace to those that die in war, war really isn't a big impact on the majority of humans. The amount of coveragage that war gets in the media, in text books and in the classroom is so much greater than it's actual impact on mankind. For example... the lead story every night on the news is a tally of the war dead in Iraq.

However yesterday, a government report stated that 43,220 Americans died in traffic accidents in one year. Think of that number. Forty-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty people. Now consider the amount of news coverage you've seen about those deaths. How many millions protested the auto-industry for those deaths. How many marches did you see in San Francisco? How many monuments, parks, or tribute CD's by Elton John have you seen honoring those people? Where was the outrage from the Ambasador from France? Where was the threat of economic sanctions from Russia?

So when I hear about folks outraged at the war... folks with bumper stickers that preach Peace... read articles talking about 1 dead Iraqi father of four, I wonder what those folks' true priority in life is? Are they deeply concerned about preventing death? Or do they just feel that lashing out at a war waging far from home, with people they don't understand, about politics that are beyond them is easier than facing the tough challenges. Challenges that impact their daily life; like perhaps putting a speed governor on every car to prevent them from exceeding 65mph. Or reducing the weight of all vehilces to reduce fatalities. Banning radios, cell-phones and other distractions.

Funny how folks like to attack things and people that don't directly impact them. It's just a safer target for their aggression and their inability to control their own lives. They feel outrage at their boss. Outrage at the traffic. Outrage at the bad schools. Outrage at their neighbors barking dog. But they feel like they can't do anything about that (mostly because they're lazy and don't contribute) so they attack something so disconnected from their lives (like war in Iraq) because it's safe. It makes them feel good.

People suck.

-nuts

[[AK]Squidly]

It's not about the deaths. It's about advancing a political agenda. Remember that.

When the names are read during Nightline this week, it's not intended to honor or show respect. It's out of a desire to shape public opinion and consequently drive a reaction in November.