e-Claire

Shades of grey ...and puce

Part of me would like to say, “Welcome to Moron Central,” but I find I can’t wholeheartedly. I must admit that I respect the courage of someone who, no matter how naïve or misguided their thinking, would willingly put their life on the line to enact their beliefs. I have a similar feeling about the men and women in uniform, although I have a much easier time seeing, and agreeing, with their thinking.

But (you knew that was coming, didn’t you) search as I may, I cannot find any reports of human shields killed in the line of duty. Or injured. I read many reports deploring the carnage of war, decrying collateral damage, describing in loving detail the injuries and sorrows they see. I hear nothing of their own injuries or losses of their comrades. And I must think that they would not fail to report such injuries. Rather I think we would be hearing of nothing but. They’d buy ads. On Fox.

So I can conclude none other than that they are deserving of the white feather.

(filed on 2.3.2K3) Almost all of the first British "human shields" to go to Iraq were on their way home last night after deciding that their much-heralded task was now too dangerous. …Nine of the original 11 activists decided to pull out after being given an ultimatum by Iraqi officials to station themselves at targets likely to be bombed in a war or leave the country.

…Iraqi officials said there was little point in guarding what they considered to be low-risk targets.

…Iraq's decision to force the pace was welcomed by some of the 20 Britons remaining in Baghdad. "It's only fair," said Uzma Bashir, 32, a college lecturer who is one of the team leaders. "We've come here as shields to defend sites and now the Iraqis are asking us to make our choice."

Ok. I geddit. The courage of their convictions, literally, failed them. But what of those twenty who stayed? Where are they?

It seems that they found a way to keep from taking their share of the collateral damage so they could live to trauma-drama another day. Now they are getting what they sought: that sweet/sick rush they get off of others’ sorrow, others’ loss. That right-to-whine-by-proxy without actually suffering any losses of their own.

Perhaps it comes from not actually having the courage to stay home and experience one’s own life, one’s own challenges and losses. Perhaps there is the misperception that someone else’s life and troubles are, somehow, more valid or more real than one’s own. And in trying to ‘champion’ for someone else, these people find the validity they lack within.

yecch. vampires.

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