[5796]

I came here to check what discussion there was on the poor young man from South Korea who was killed.... and I didn't find a thread on the latest news.

I'm starting to feel that all of us..and mind you I include myself in the group anyway, I think we're starting to get numb. And I think this is a very caring group of people here at MDC and for us to get numb...well, I can only imagine what this will look like with more time...and more sad stories out of Iraq.

Quote:

South Korea Confirms Death of Man Held by Terrorists in IraqSouth Korea Confirms Death of Man Held by Terrorists in Iraq By EDWARD WONG Published: June 22, 2004 BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 22 - A South Korean man who had been held hostage by insurgents for six days was beheaded by his captors, according to a South Korean official and an Arab satellite network that received a videotape of the killing today. The killing came after the South Korean government refused to meet the captors' demand that it halt its scheduled deployment of an additional 3,000 troops to Iraq in August.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/22/in...2CND-KORE.html

 

[Shonahsmom]

Tracy,

I can't speak for the others but I totally see what you are saying.

There has been so much for so long that is horrific and painful and frightening and tremendously sad... and it just seems to be getting worse.

Sometimes lately my mind just quickly skims an article like you posted and then I put it away somewhere to look at once I've digested the other 25 awful things I've read that day.

I know there's the slogan if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention. Mine, as it relates to this type of subject matter is, if you're not traumatized you're not paying attention.

I internalize the hell out of all of these things I read and its enough to make ya want to just lay down and cry like a baby.

I can't even begin to address the recent beheadings. Its too much right now.

 

[5796]

Quote:

Sometimes lately my mind just quickly skims an article like you posted and then I put it away somewhere to look at once I've digested the other 25 awful things I've read that day.

I know, I know.. in my own case I'm dealing with a lot of personal stuff that is a huge distraction but it doesn't take but a nanosecond to go to tears.. I saw the mom of the korean young man and I just burst into tears... and then I dusted myself off to deal with personal stuff..and just kind of moved on..for a moment at least..then when I got a moment again I came here..but really I can just feel myself numbing up.

And I wonder why I got fat after 9/11.... just comfort eating I'm sure.

 

[Shonahsmom]

 

[Rainbow]

I think there wasn't as much uphieval in America because he wasn't American

: jmo. Sadly, as a society we don't put as much emphasis on non-American lives.

 

[hotmamacita]

Well there are some of us who do. And I, too, busrt into tears today. That image was too much for me.

I dont think that phenom. is unique to America, Rainbow.

I know what you mean though.

 

[chicagomom]

I know what you mean, but think maybe it's a survival-mode thing. If I pay too much attention to the news it really effects my ability to mother well.

I do feel bad for his family.

 

[RachelGS]

I've been in tears off and on all evening. The photo of his parents on the cnn homepage is almost too much to bear. I just can't think of anything appropriate to say. This was such an avoidable horror.

 

[5796]

Rainbow,
I am not disagreeing with you on the non-white factor in america but honestly I don't think I have seen a lot of discussion either on the 4 soldiers who were killed yesterday almost execution-style. That news footage was horrible. In fact later in the night when I saw it again, they had digitized it a bit so it wasn't so graphic ...and that is not getting that much discussion here on MDC here either. And like I said earlier, I think we are a pretty caring group...
I'm just getting the feeling that our numb factor is at play with all of us... or a lot of us I should say...and I really want to say I'm not being critical as I feel I'm in the lot...
Hugs and prayers to all

 

[IslandMamma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RachelGS I've been in tears off and on all evening. The photo of his parents on the cnn homepage is almost too much to bear. I just can't think of anything appropriate to say. This was such an avoidable horror.

Yes. And Tracy, you are right, I do feel as if we are getting numb.... I know I feel such a horror and sadness at each story that seems to emerge daily if not more frequently, and "we" become numb I think as a coping mechanism.

I struggle with depression anyhow, and this is all becoming too much to bear. I'm finding in my fiction writing everything has taken a very dark turn, and all my work seems to be dealing with loss and tragedy. In the lightness of my admittedly very good life, I question where this is coming from, and really, I need to look no further than the Orwellian nightmare that is the daily news.

 

[hotmamacita]

T but hi IM. I've been thinking of ya' this week.

 

[Joyce in the mts.]

My dh and I were just discussing how effective these hostage executions are, since they do have the frontpage of every newspaper,...and let me just add, that if I don't cry daily over the mess in the world, it's an unusual day. I don't have to express that here, but that doesn't mean I don't care.

They WILL have the attention of the world, if it kills us all, one at a time.

Joyce in the mts.

 

[Lucky Charm]

The picture of his parents is heartbreaking.

My heart sank when i saw it, and just like the picture of Nick Bergs dad on the front lawn, it practically took my breath away.

Awful. I hate this, i really do.

 

[Rainbow]

I didn't mean to imply you all didn't care- MDC is much more evolved than the general American Public. I was speaking more about the news and stuff. I imagine the *first* such offense is going to be more spoken of then subsequent ones. it is sad, and I know many mama's here are mourning this.
I guess I'm sort of bitter because of some local perspective I've heard on this. Sorry mamas

 

[stayinghome]

I was very saddened by this man- when he was on the news saying he didn't want to die, I felt aweful for him. I can't even imagine how horrible the ordeal was for him and his family.

 

[GreenHippieMama]

I agree that there is a tendency to just shut down when confronted by so much horror. I don't know what we can do to make a stand against this sort of stuff. I'm sure most people think it's horrible,and they don't know where to put this sort of thing in their daily lives. I feel like I'm not making much sense (no sleep all week,teething baby) but I wanted to respond. It's true we can't just look away and pretend not to see this stuff.

 

[mshollyk]

i've been staying away from all televised news. at the end of 2001/beginning of 2002, i was going through it every day because of what was going on in my hubby's country, the Daniel Pearl story, and seeing and smelling the smoking remains of the wtc up close every day for 4 months, and i really just can't handle it any longer. very little shocks me anymore--but that's not to say it doesn't bother me. humans can be really depraved, sadly.

 

[Irishmommy]

But why are there civilian foreigners there anyway. Anyone with any sense would be well away, and he was going to convert the Muslims. What does that tell you!

 

[Cranberry]

I'm also not watching tv news. I just can't handle it anymore and I used to be a news junkie, but I can't hear about beheadings, prisoner abuse, torture, kidnappings, families pleading for their family members not to be killed, bodies burned and dragged through the streets...

I could go on but I think you get the picture. I don't read the paper anymore either. I just check world and local news online every day.

One thing I didn't read... how old was this Korean man who was just killed? Did he have a wife and children?

 

[IslandMamma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irishmommy But why are there civilian foreigners there anyway. Anyone with any sense would be well away, and he was going to convert the Muslims. What does that tell you!

Civilian foreigners? There's a whole freakin' ARMY of OUR sons and daughters there, too!

While I hear you in a way, my compassion is not bounded by only those whose idealogies are in line with mine. Irregardless of his intent, he was someone's son, he was a person that probably deeply believed he was doing something to better the world. The reality isn't that he was killed for religious proselytizing, he was killed as a pawn in the war that THIS COUNTRY created.

That is one reason why I'm so depressed about this. I've said it before-- every person-- American, Iraqi, South Korean, Israeli, Pakistani, it doesn't matter-- killed "over there" is blood on our hands. I'm saddened, but I'm further driven to take to the streets and demand that this war be stopped, and those in charge be held fully accountable, across party lines.

*whew*

T Hotmamacita, thank for the thoughts-- I've been wondering how you're faring as well! There's always a place in the San Juans for you~~