In no way to diminish the VT tragedy.

[jhrobbins]

In no way do I mean to diminish the VT tragedy by this post (I wept during the coverage), but for some reason, most of America seems able to ignore approximately the same number of young Americans (and countless Iraqis) that are killed EVERY MONTH, especially since we ostensibly now believe that the war is wrong. Where are the outrage and the non-stop media coverage? Where are the 60’s protest marches and boycotts? Why hasn’t Bush photo’oped on this issue like he did at Virginia Tech?
These questions kept coming back to me during the coverage of the VT tragedy; I just don’t understand. These are valuable American lives that are cut short for a war that they don’t really understand and that as a country we don't support any longer.

[MonkeyFunk]

1. People certainly aren't

ignoring the deaths in Iraq - the war is incredibly unpopular right now because of those deaths.

But... people aren't terribly shocked when young men and women die in war, nor is it worthy of 24/7 news coverage. The shootings in VA, on the other hand, are truly shocking, and it's not at all surprising they get the coverage they're getting.

The fact is, the media ARE covering the deaths in Iraq - I see them reported daily on cnn and msnbc. But they don't get non-stop coverage because there's nothing much to say: it's war - people die. I'll never understand why so many people here expect non-stop coverage of such deaths - it's an unrealistic expectation.

[elocs]

2. That's probably correct.

Most people expect death and violence in a war, but not on a college campus. Sometimes seemingly like things are not comparable.

[BlooInBloo]

3. A good place to start with that question would be the media, naturally.

They're either talking about

a) Va Tech
b) The Human Trainwreck (aka Anna Nicole Smith)
c) John Edwards' hair

The sheep-like public follow this lead.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Is It Possible To Walk & Chew Gum

I guess most of us are too simple to be able to deal with more than one issue at once. Or that if we focus on the "flavor of the moment" we somehow completely forget everything else...total tunnelvision.

The corporate media can't do the "wall-to-wall" coverage you're talking about since what is there to cover? Most their reporters are hunkered in the Green Zone and whatever "street" experience they get involve a heavily armed convoy and minders. Most the real attrocities of this invasion, as in many other wars, happen out of sight of the cameras.

Polls show Iraq remains far and away the number one issue of our time. It will remain so as long as our young men and women are stuck in this quagmire...and a majority of the American people ARE thinking about it. But with a regime hellbent on continuing this war for profit and ego, short of taking to the streets with pitchforks and torches, there's little this regime will do to listen.

Any person who dies violently at a young age...be it on a college campus or some deserted alley in Baghdad is a complete tragedy. But to think one dismisses one loss because we're paying attention to another is selling many of us here short. Sadly, while most people pay attention, few really feel direct pain. We can turn it off or avoid a lot of it. Back in Vietnam, if you were over 18 the thought of getting drafted was never far from one's mind. In certain ways, I wish Charlie Rangel's call to re-institute the draft would go through...besides scaring the shit out of every 18-24 year old, it may get some off their duffs.