I was watching ABC news coverage of last nights Israeli shelling of Beirut. I’m wondering exactly how I should feel about this. American television doesn’t seem to have any problems displaying dead bodies; a pregnant woman, a small child, and various indiscernible corpses. It’s all so very dramatic. They also showed a distraught grandfather who had to identify a small girl as his granddaughter. The rescue workers were giving him words of comfort and rubbing his back as he cried uncontrollably. The attack that killed his granddaughter was in a southern Beirut suburb. Drama drama drama. Its all very sad, etc

Now, lets put this into perspective here.

This war has been on-going for 29 days (or something like that). From day one Israel has focused its shelling on Beirut which holds concentrations of Hezbollah fighters. From day one Israel has told these people to leave. Warning after warning. Get the hell out of there! Radio broadcasts, television broadcasts, and leaflets all say the same thing. You need to leave now!

Let us imagine for a minute that this was happening to Chicago. Lets say um… Canada is planning on pushing out all the um… Republicans from Chicago. The Republicans are in concentrated pockets throughout the city and also in the suburbs. It’s hard to tell who is Republican and who is not because they look very similar to every other Chicagoan.

Canada sends out a massive warning to everyone in the area to leave. They tell us that the city and the surrounding suburbs are going to come under attack, although they don’t tell us exactly where. What do you do?

I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’m getting the hell out of there! No matter if I’m for or against the Republicans. Any other state or city is sounding much more appealing considering the alternative. I’d pack a suitcase, make a few phone calls, and kiss the tomb I was living in goodbye. Wouldn’t you do the same?

So, back to ABC news and the Lebanese child, pregnant woman, and grandfather. Doesn’t it seem like suicide for them to even stay in Beirut? Am I really supposed to feel sorrow for these people when they were clearly warned repeatedly for the last month? As I watched the old man cry I was screaming in my head, “Why didn’t you just leave!?!?”.

Does this make me insensitive?

Popularity: 25% [?]

Other Posts You May Enjoy!