[Slings and Arrows]

Very eloquently put, Salem, and thank you very much for the kind words.

I used to be a volunteer EMT, incidentally, and you're right about gallows humor: It's a coping mechanism. This can be shocking to an outsider (I've occasionally had to remind myself not to tell EMT stories at the dinner table), but laughing at the stupid parts helps you take the horrible parts. (In my case, these were mercifully few, but they happened.)

While I can understand and respect those freepers who feel compassion for the Corries, I cannot emulate them. Rachel Corrie died of her own stupidity, egotism, and moral arrogance, supporting evil and encouraged in her folly but the ones who should have trying to protect her. If I laugh, it's relief that evil she supported claimed its own rather more innocents.

[Salem]

"...I used to be a volunteer EMT, incidentally, and you're right about gallows humor: It's a coping mechanism."

Really ... than you know exactly of what I speak. Any aspect of a First Responder's life is extrmely high stress. You do what you gotta' do to survive.

Thanks.  

So, further insights into why you are the way you are!

Heehee!