[Captain Kirk]

It is sad isn't it? But....many of these same freepers love to talk about nuking (frying babies on a massive scale) Bagdad and, before that, Bejing.

Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic! I guess the old freeper respect for life and skepticism about power (as expressed on issues such as Waco) have gone down the Freeper Orwellian memory whole for good.

[veronica]

Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic!

Oh please. This is very unfortunate, but human shields and the like take their chances when they go into war zones, and stand in front of bulldozers, in an attempt to protect terrorists and their lairs. Not a good idea.

[veronica]

And further, if the "witnesses" are Palestinians, the veracity of the report, and/or the initial version of the story hitting the wires, is always suspect. There exists a track record of fudging the facts.

[BenLurkin]

>Civility is much more desirable than frothing rants, I agree.
> The problem though is that we are succumbing to a seething anger against people like the terrorists themselves, and this "protester", who are the enemies of all we hold dear, including the very civility we cherish.
>There is an increasing tension between our natural civil deportment, and the post 9-11 urge to take direct action agsint the foes of America.
>Yes, it is unconscionable to cheer on the death of ANYONE, and I for one would not wish to be perceived as having done so.

>We are typing, some of us, on tear stained keyboards, others are pounding the keys with the ferocity born of frustration at our nation's current circumstance.
>Please continue to give your guidance for your words hold weight.
>Please also forgive those of us who might, in a moment of passion, step over the line into uncivil discourse.

[metesky]

This is the image of FreeRepublic that others project anyway, regardless of how "good" or "bad" discourse is on the site.

In for a dime, in for a dollar.

[arete]

Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic!

I agree. I'm shocked at some of the posts I have been reading lately. The absolute anger and hatred of those who disagree has become overwhelming. The mob mentality has taken charge.

Richard W.

[Ramius]

Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic! I guess the old freeper respect for life and skepticism about power (as expressed on issues such as Waco) have gone down the Freeper Orwellian memory whole for good.

Gallows humor is what it is. It happens. No sense getting one's knickers in a twist.

The humor comes from the pity for choosing such a stupid and wrongheaded way to die. These are people who would jump in front a sniper's bullet headed for Bin Laden, because they think it would be better to get him to speak on their campus at commencement.

[walden]

Oh, I just think the tension and worry these days is getting to everyone. It's just venting, they don't mean it.

[It's me]

Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic! I guess the old freeper respect for life and skepticism about power (as expressed on issues such as Waco) have gone down the Freeper Orwellian memory whole for good.

---

Agreed.

[Goetz_von_Berlichingen]

"Welcome to the new and bloodthirsty Free Republic!"

This is a long thread, and I'm not going to wade through to the end of it, since the level of homicidal rage is disturbing. When I first heard of this incident, I recalled the famous image from Tienamin Square so many years ago: the student standing in front of a halted tank. Apparently the ChiCom tank commander was more humane than this IDF operator.

Standard procedure in all civilised nations is to have police on hand to physically remove the protesters. That way, they get to make their point, the government gets to carry out its intended action, and nobody gets killed.

But since the IDF is never held to account for "irregularities", I guess they figure one more dead foreigner won't make headlines.