Good Grief!

After reading The Navigator’s recent Spain and the aftermath of the Madrid bombings entry, I feel compelled to post. Frankly, I’m disturbed by the rush to analyze and spin this tragedy. Sure, everyone has posted the “what a horrible attack, I denounce it, and my heart goes out to the victims” sentiment (with the best of intentions). But right after getting those obligatory remarks out of the way, the analysis begins. Who did it? Would Spanish withdrawal from Iraq be the dawn of a more secure Spain or a cowardly response to terrorism? Is the timing of the attack significant?

Jesus, people, it hasn’t even been a week. Yes, this kind of speculation is human nature, and maybe some people find it part of the grieving process. Also, the impending election made it important to get answers fast, especially if it’s true that the ruling party was deliberately withholding information. But where is the outrage? Not the political outrage–the human outrage. As we watch the story unfold on our computer and television screens, hands on the keyboard, do we really understand the human toll? Forget politics. Forget online polls. Forget spinning the situation to support your own views about the war in Iraq.

At the time I write this, 201 people are dead, and 1,500 are wounded. Think about that. No–really think about it. Imagine hearing the news and running to the scene, desperately trying to find your spouse. Imagine burying your child. Frame the tragedy in that context, and the talking heads fade into annoying background chatter.