April 30, 2007

Iraqi Victims of Violence Deserve Virginia Tech-Style Recognition

As early as the First Century B.C., political commentators noted the irony of murder. Seneca the Younger wrote: “We check manslaughter and isolated murders; but what of war and much-vaunted crime of slaughtering whole peoples? . . . Deeds that would be punished by loss of life when committed in secret are praised by us because uniformed generals have carried them out.”

His words resonated through Christopher Hitchens in an opinion column about the Virginia Tech killings, contentiously titled “Suck it Up.” I have not yet established the professional credentials to attack Hitchens’ snarky and sophisticated style. However, his premise – that the emotive response of America to the shootings was unnecessary, unreasonable and even melodramatic – deserves a review.

Days after the events in Virginia, several bomb blasts in Iraq killed hundreds of people. A great majority of the victims consisted of civilians. In the last moments of their lives, they were not engaged in combat or even expressing dissent. They were picking out cucumbers in the market and holding their kids hands as they crossed the street.

Unlike the reactions to the domestic deaths, foreign embassies did not lower their flags, nor did the president participate in customary activities in response to their deaths. The apparent double standard is confusing. Is our regard for life so contingent on geographic location?

Hitchens seems to think so. Yet there is another explanation that, at least in part, can account for the difference in our collective response. There is no comparative standard involved when Americans choose to attend candlelight vigils or watch television coverage. The outrage felt in response to last month’s events is an affirmation of America taking security for granted.

In all reality, it is only through sad events that our eyes can be opened to the incredible personal effect of violence. It is as close as we, nestled in our horn of plenty with the breadbasket at heart, come to experiencing violence on a larger scale.

It is a chance for us to come a little closer to understanding what those who withstand such bloody episodes regularly go through. Having to bear a burden like that, not as individuals but as a society is tragic, but also enlightening. Experiencing heartbreak in close proximity is the first step to feeling genuine empathy to those far from us.

You can judge the balloon releases and bell tolls around the country’s universities for yourself. To some they are inspiring symbols, to others tacky excuses for lack of action. They are not that different from “Support our Troops” magnets or pink ribbon yogurt labels. The ceremonial part ought to be counterbalanced by serious discourse and decisive action.

Seeking soothing in ceremonies and rituals is not patriotic as it places style before substance. Undeniably, a period of mourning is justified. Nevertheless, the flood of stories in all forms of media is not proportional to the magnitude of this loss in comparison to what is happening in Iraq.

Although thousands of miles separate us, the violence in Iraq ought to be as personal to us. We have never seen the location nor met the people in either of the cases. Still, how we respond to both is a matter of national conscience.