Keith posted: " There were three separate tragedies around the world that took the lives of multiple hundreds of people and harming even more. In Somalia, there was a terrible massacre of 100 innocent folks due to two car bombings by a rebellious group. I will not give " musingsofanoldfart
There were three separate tragedies around the world that took the lives of multiple hundreds of people and harming even more. In Somalia, there was a terrible massacre of 100 innocent folks due to two car bombings by a rebellious group. I will not give credence to the group by naming them. In India, a pedestrian bridge collapsed killing 135 people. And, in South Korea, at a Halloween festival, about 154 people were crushed in a "stampede" of the panicked and overcrowded gathering.
In India, the 137 year-old suspension bridge had just reopened after repairs. In South Korea, the police said they had "heavy responsibility" for the stampede as they did not act enough to concerns over crowd size.
It pains me to see innocent people killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. With 9/11, many Americans died because they either went to work like they always do or hopped on the wrong plane that day. Plus, with shooting massacres, Americans just get in the way of an extreme or challenged individual in possession of a rapid-fire weapon.
It is sad that we have to be so alert these days to our surroundings. Going to school, work, the mall or a party or just walking across a bridge should not be a threat. These three incidents highlight how dear and precious our lives are. Incumbent leaders offering thoughts and prayers is woefully inadequate, as some actions could have been taken in advance to make folks more mindful. At least the Seoul police acknowledge their mistake.
Anytime I see crowds crushing folks to death, it reminds me that putting too many people in the same space with limited exits that funnel out is not a good thing. I am reminded of fire marshals being concerned about occupancy. What we citizens fail to realize is the occupancy is more to do with the ability to exit a place on fire. The same must hold true with crowd size at events, whether the tragedy is related to violence or other mania.
What we can do about this as patrons is be mindful of where exits are. How do we get out of here if something amiss happens? Plus, if you feel you are being squashed with too many people in attendance, leaving should be a consideration. At a Who concert in Cincinnati, about ten folks were crushed to death as the band played. At a wedding, too many people were on a hotel balcony and it fell on other reception attendees.
We also must demand of our elected officials actions to make us safe. Words are cheap. We need better gun governance to make people safer. We need better auditing and review of highway, train and pedestrian bridges to avoid problems. Here in the states, so called leaders will ask after a tragedy, how could you let this happen? The answer usually includes lack of funds to repair things, so patchwork fixes are used for years. In other words, elected officials cut funding to prevent a problem. I am not saying that is what happened in India, but it would not surprise me if it was.
As for the rebels, these become hard ones to deal with as it is hard to determine whose cause is more righteous. But, one thing is for certain in my view. Killing innocent people is not appropriate. It is murder, no matter who does it. It matters not who has been gaslighted into thinking their cause is more righteous. One thing I have long noticed is it usually is the older cult members who talk the more malleable young members into driving bomb laden vehicles and strapping on bombs. Think about that. The best line from the movie "Troy" is "war is old men talking and young men dying."
Be safe out there. Take a few steps to plan exits and ascertain if there may be an undue risk. And, don't let a day pass without telling your family that you love them or giving them a hug or heartfelt goodbye.
Note: Our British friend Roger posted the following on the subject of the Somalia bombings.
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