The price of life

What is the price of a human life? Do the residents of a certain country or culture assume to value life higher than another? When the tragic events at Virgina Tech rippled through this country we were all shocked and horrified that someone could be that insane to do something so terrible. As a nation we were outraged that one man could kill over thirty people and injure a couple of dozen of others. We wanted answers, justice and the ability to stop anyone else that might attempt such a heinous act again.

Yet in other parts of the world, war, famine and other senseless acts of violence happen on a daily basis. When we read that over three hundred people died in a car bombing or thousands of people in Africa are getting slaughtered for their heritage or beliefs we yawn, turn the channel to see what the weather will be like and sip on our coffee. But in the back of our minds we really wonder if gas prices are going up again.

We can't get involved, its not our country or our people, so its not our problem. However, when that country has natural resources we can exploit use, we are eager to pony up money, manpower and all the rest of our resources to make it right. No matter which side of the political fence you sit upon it should make you sick that people are persecuted for a variety of reasons.

We try to teach our children to do the right thing. In a household with many children, you expect the older kids to lead by example, but what nation is leading by example in our world today? It isn't about doing the right thing, it is all about protecting interests. Treating people with respect and dignity is clearly towards the bottom of our list of priorities. Watching innocent people suffer and die is okay because it is none of our business.

Hotel Rwanda
The Last King of Scottland

Watch these two movies back to back and then go to any of your favorite news sites cnn.com, foxnews.com, msnbc.com and check the world news. Somewhere in the world some extreme act of violence has taken place. There are THOUSANDS of acts of violence towards humanity going on that are NOT getting reported. Check this out happening in North Korea (link may go underground soon). People are persecuted for race, religion and anything else because someone in power doesn't like that about them.

We Americans think we have evolved as a society. Social rights have been extended to many Americans and we often scorn those who deny liberties to minorities. Yet still some things have yet to become obsolete. Check this link out about a school in Georgia. We have not gone very far in this country to think we can ignore the events in the rest of the world. We offer the same injustices, the same prejudices and the same hatred for one another. Its no wonder we don't care what happens to people thousands of miles away when our own people are treated with disrespect.


cya laterz
moi