Maybe it's just me...

[Algernon Moncrieff]

At the time I posted this, 22 have died and 50+ were injured in the blast in Manchester. Lone, suicide bomber with an IED. In no world is this not barbaric and horrific.

...but here's the thing.

In the USA, in 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 10,265 people died in the U.S. in alcohol-impaired crashes. Over 28 deaths every day. If we were truly shocked, horrified, and outraged at the equivalent of three 9-11s worth of preventable deaths, there would be a multi-billion dollar war on drunk drivers. But as you see, there is not...

There is something most Americans should think about -- we fixate on the sudden and shocking, and fail to focus on the everyday preventable deaths right in front of us. But there is also a lesson for the terrorists. 10 years ago, I'd have been fixated on the coverage of this bombing. Now, it's just another day -- and my suspicion is that I'm not alone. Those who would do us harm should learn that, eventually, people become numb to fear and terror, and move on.

[cbreezen]

1. Recommended with no comment. nt.

[Ron Green]

2. It's because we value our comfort and convenience.

Although we're (justifiably) horrified by a suicide bomber, we put up with many times the deaths to maintain our convenient car-based transportation system. While the terrorists' acts threaten our comfort, highway mayhem does not - rather, it's just the price we gladly pay for this. After all, as long as gas is cheap, we'll tolerate the deaths.

[Ezior]

4. We also tolerate (more or less) all kinds of other deaths

What happened in Manchester is terrible. Still, I'm convinced the strong media focus on events like this is one of the reasons why terrorists do what they do, so I refuse to read/watch all the breaking news reports and body counts. I wait until the dust has settled to find out what happened exactly. Also, terrorists want us to be afraid. I refuse to be afraid of terrorists. I trust our law enforcement agencies to protect us in the best way possible. And whatever is going to kill me, I hope it's still a few decades away and that it's going to be painless.

I'm much more worried about our (Europe's and America's) political future, TBH. Terrorists and Putin must not take our freedoms away, even though right-wing extremists are working hard to achieve that.

[Jarqui]

3. ... here's another thing ...

Chicago Tribune Commentary: Repealing Obamacare will kill more than 43,000 people a year
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-obamacare-repeal-lose-health-insurance-deaths-20170123-story.html

For more than 30 years, we have studied how death rates are affected by changes in health-care coverage, and we're convinced that an ACA repeal could cause tens of thousands of deaths annually.

The story is in the data: The biggest and most definitive study of what happens to death rates when Medicaid coverage is expanded, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that for every 455 people who gained coverage across several states, one life was saved per year. Applying that figure to even a conservative estimate of 20 million losing coverage in the event of an ACA repeal yields an estimate of 43,956 deaths annually.

2009 Harvard Gazette: New study finds 45,000 deaths annually linked to lack of health coverage
http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2009/09/new-study-finds-45000-deaths-annually-linked-to-lack-of-health-coverage/

We can bicker some on the accuracy of their projections but it's safe to say, tens of thousands of vulnerable Americans will die if Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell get their way on repealing Obamacare.

To beat drunk driving, we have to convince millions of drivers to change their habits. To sustain Obamacare, we have to convince a handful of politicians.

[BigmanPigman]

5. Excellent point!

[Algernon Moncrieff]

9. It's over fourteen 9-11s, every year

9-11 was a horrific event that scarred this nation. According to CNN, "a total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, DC and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania."

14.44 equivalents of September 11th in terms of deaths -- every year. Every.single.year. American deaths.

Again, where is the multi-billion dollar war on these deaths? Oh right, it was the ACA.

[SticksnStones]

6. You don't think it's a little too soon to try and divert the Manchester story

To some other objective?

Maybe give it 24 hours...?

[JI7]

7. there is also a difference in an accident v intentionally killing someone

[Algernon Moncrieff]

8. Yes, there is a difference. I do not deny that.

[OnDoutside]

10. And 42,000 Americans died by suicide according to 2014 figures.