"Why is it so hard for people to believe The Lancet report?"

[sabra]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6099020.stm

Lancet author answers your questions

<snip>

Why is it so hard for people to believe The Lancet report? I am an Iraqi and can assure you that the figure given is nearer to the truth than any given before or since.
S Kazwini, London, UK

I think it is hard to accept these results for a couple of reasons. People do not see the bodies. Secondly, people feel that all those government officials and all those reporters must be detecting a big portion of the deaths. When in actuality during times of war, it is rare for even 20% to be detected.

[endarkenment]

1. because we would have to accept that we are all war criminals.

And most people are not ready for that reality.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

2. Because...

...people are in denial about the realities of war. The US has spent the last fifteen years convincing everybody that its smart weapons never kill civilians or children or people in wheelchairs or puppies.

[Straight Shooter]

3. Most people actually do not understand the significance of Lancet's reputation.

For those who are familiar with Lancet, there is no argument with their position.

[wtmusic]

4. two reasons

1) Because the figure was far higher than other estimates

2) Because psychologically Americans don't want to accept responsibility for the historic proportions of this disaster

[twilight_sailing]

5. Cognitive dissonance n/t

[flyingfysh]

6. because facts have a liberal bias

and Lancet is in the business of reporting medical facts.

[The Wielding Truth]

7. The tragedy is incomprehensible.

We should not even be there.The tragedy of Katrina's abandonment was an unbelievable action for the United States Federal government,too. It is so out the norm of civilized society that we think of it as an aberration, a mistake, and an fluke that like an act of nature is unaccountable.

But these are not actions of uncontrollable circumstance. They are either gross negligence,or grossly intentional acts. Like the Holocaust of WWII, we become overwhelmed at the thought of such inhumanity. I think that this is one of the reasons for the disbelief of the Lancet reports.

The other would be the number being thrown out there with no weight given to the respect of each life. We need to see all those who have died on each side. They are worthy of our attention, and most are innocent of unprovoked violence.

Thank you,sabra, for asking this question and flying this flag for the those who have died.We must show there faces,and hold those responsible to account.History will shame them.

[Homer Wells]

8. The Germans also went into denial

once the true facts concerning the death camps were reveled to a horrified world.