Forgive me for being an indecent human being, but though the accident involving the space shuttle was a tragedy and deserves recognition, it is not a national emergency. September 11th was an national tragedy and warranted coverage, but 24-hour, minute by minute updates for seven people dying in a dangerous job? Bush giving a politically riddled speech in a nation's moment of need? I may be thrown out of the internet community, but is this really necessary?
There is no doubt in my mind that those seven people's families are hurting, but do you know what else went on yesterday? An avalanche in British Columbia killed seven children, seven high school students in a bus with seven survivors. Five American soldiers were killed, four in Afghanistan (not from enemy fire but routine duties), and one in Kuwait from a car-crash. Today, 40 people were killed in an explosion in Nigeria, and yet the press continues to clamor for the NASA tragedy. Why? Did America finally remember that people can die?
I was on a bottle drive yesterday morning when all of this occurred, and four people in my town told me of the events, most of them complete strangers. I went into Wal-Mart and the news was playing, in Wal-Mart of all places! I went to a peace vigil and people spoke of the tragedy, I went to the skating rink and discussions were held, and though I can understand people's fear and confusion, seven people went on a dangerous mission and did not come back alive. For the soldiers killed in foreign nations, nothing is said because they were doing their jobs, but weren't the astronauts doing theirs, too?
Forgive me for my cynicism, but people die every day in their work, whether a soldier or a construction worker, why is there no coverage on their plights? Obviously there will be effects on technology, on Nasa and other areas, it is an obvious bash to space travel and the death of anyone deserves recognition, but why this much coverage? Why aren't there reports on children dying in Iraq because of sanctions, or the rising number of homicides in our country? People die every day in the middle east in horrible ways, Chechnyan rebels are tortured to death and found by their children, why is this situation different? A tragedy, yes. A national emergency that warrants flags at half mast? Who decides whose life is more important than another?