Tag Archives: tragedy

Exploiting one of the last shared, in-person, cultural events we have

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“And as someone who writes about movies, and who cares about the big, flawed thing we call fandom, I’m saddened by someone turning that shared enthusiasm into a weapon. And even if this tragedy hadn’t happened at the premiere of one of a dwindling number of genuinely mass cultural events, I hate the idea of using an audience’s suspension of disbelief, their openness to and absorption in the spectacle unfolding before them, as cover—the gunman reportedly started shooting during a sequence involving gunfire, meaning the audience was slower to react. We are vulnerable when we go to the movies, open to fear, and love, and disgust, and rapture, surrendering our brains and hearts to someone else’s vision of the world. We don’t expect to surrender our bodies, too.” — Alyssa Rosenberg: How the Colorado theater shooting exploited one of our last mass, in-person cultural events.

(via: think-progress)

100 years later, ‘we remain divided and valued by the ticket we can afford’

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TITANIC SURVIVORS: a breakdown by class

  • First Class Passengers: 63% survived (200 out of 319 lived).
  • Second Class Passengers: 43% survived (117 out of 269 lived).
  • Third Class Passengers: 25% survived (172 out of 699 lived).

Any death, regardless of class, is a horrible and tragic thing, but on the anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking it’s important to remember one of the things that night symbolizes: that, even in moments of terrible crisis and great collective peril, we remain divided and valued by the ticket we can afford.

Data via John Henderson of Ithaca College | via: thepoliticalnotebook

100 years ago today, the Titanic sank to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. The Titanic hit an iceberg at 11:40pm (April 14, 1912) and sank two hours later at 2:20 am. 2,200 souls aboard, more than 1,500 perished and only 675 survivors mostly women and children.

via: carlito-pepito-stylinson1

Video of Jared Loughner shooting “emerges”

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Does it seems weird that the FBI doesn’t want to show the jury video of Loughner actually shooting the victims at his trial?

And that it “emerged” yesterday that they even had video?

Also, it emerged Friday that the F.B.I had video of the episode taken from the surveillance cameras of businesses in the shopping center, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to speak publicly because the investigation was continuing.

The investigator said the authorities were hoping the video would not have to be used at Mr. Loughner’s trial, because it would probably be painful for the families of the victims.

Revealing

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Presidential vs. Pettiness:

In the span of a single news cycle, Republicans got a jarring reminder of two forces that could prevent them from retaking the presidency in next year.

At sunrise in the East on Wednesday, Sarah Palin demonstrated that she has little interest — or capacity — in moving beyond her brand of grievance-based politics. And at sundown in the West, Barack Obama reminded even his critics of his ability to rally disparate Americans around a message of reconciliation.

Palin was defiant, making the case in a taped speech she posted online why the nation’s heated political debate should continue unabated even after Saturday’s tragedy in Tucson. And, seeming to follow her own advice, she swung back at her opponents, deeming the inflammatory notion that she was in any way responsible for the shootings a “blood libel.”

Obama, speaking at a memorial service at the University of Arizona, summoned the country to honor the victims, and especially9-year-old Christina Taylor Green, by treating one another with more respect. “I want America to be as good as Christina imagined it,” he said.

Jonathan Martin

Obama was presidential, fatherly, seeking to heal our nation in the midst of tragedy. Sarah’s focus was on herself. One day she’ll be lucky if she’s at least a footnote in a very ugly part of our history.