And Four More [Spare a moment]

The Washington Post Company ^ | 2/03/03

[TYBEEISLAND]

LAST THURSDAY, on a high Afghan plain seven miles east of Bagram air base, a Blackhawk helicopter went down, killing the entire crew. The four U.S. soldiers who died in the accident, like the seven astronauts who perished Saturday, were volunteers, taking on risks they understood well in service of their country. Beyond their units and their families, their deaths attracted little notice -- a paragraph or two in some newspapers, not even that in others.

Excerpt-

[TYBEEISLAND]

A prayer for our troops overseas, and their families!

[Britton J Wingfield]

I have been thinking a lot about this very topic. Well put.

[Bahbah]

"Chief Warrant Officer Mark S. O'Steen, 43, of Alabama; Chief Warrant Officer Thomas J. Gibbons, 31, of Tennessee; Sgt. Gregory M. Frampton, 37, of California; and Staff Sgt. Daniel L. Kisling Jr., 31, of Missouri."

Our prayers are with you. You have the eternal thanks of a greatful nation.

[OldFriend]

Interesting from this source. Seems the Washington Post and the Wall St. Journal are becoming America's newspapers.

[Lil'freeper]

Thank you so much for posting this. I wish more in the media would keep things in perspective. While I, too, mourn the loss of the shuttle crew it is nonetheless unsettling that our many soldiers don't even seem to merit a mention in the bottom-of-the-screen news tickers.

[TomServo]

Interesting - I didn't know the WP was allowing us to post full articles again....

[r9etb]

Beyond their units and their families, their deaths attracted little notice -- a paragraph or two in some newspapers, not even that in others.

While I understand your point, I have to note that these soldiers died in an accident of the sort that happens a lot -- many times a year -- whereas Columbia's crew died very publicly, very spectacularly, and very unexpectedly.

The soldiers' deaths are a tragedy, certainly, but let's be clear that, unlike those of the astronauts, their deaths were not particularly newsworthy.

[niteowl77]

Interesting from this source.

I suspect it may be a way to plant the seed of fear while appearing patriotic, but then I am suspicious of all sources these days. I've seen a number of articles from various places that are suddenly emphasizing community vulnerability due to the use of Guard/Reserve components, and I believe there is a coordinated effort by the media to set this up for use against action in Iraq when the time is ripe. Bad as things may get, they will make the action seem worse than it is, and we all know why.

This family has a dog in the upcoming fight, and while it is nice that someone at the WPCo. expresses these sentiments, it would also be nice if they would maintain a pro-soldier attitude the rest of the time. The deaths of these four servicemen should be remembered, and their sacrifices honored, with no political agenda. There is more to this piece than a memorial for four fallen men, and it bothers me a bit; again, I may be hypersensitive (or some may say insensitive). If this piece passes your (an editorial "your," BTW) personal litmus test, then accept it in the spirit you wish, but I am skeptical of the source and the motive.

I do, however, agree that these four men and their families are deserving of as many prayers - and as much reflection - as anyone who dies in the line of duty. That their importance may seem to be predicated on news cycles says much about us, not about them.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

these four men and their families are deserving of as many prayers - and as much reflection - as anyone who dies in the line of duty. That their importance may seem to be predicated on news cycles says much about us, not about them.

Agreed. In fact I was slightly disappointed in the fuss GW made over the loss of the lives of the shuttle passengers--he must know that he is scheduled to be eulogizing many more good men if Saddam doesn't back down. If that comes to pass, he'll have no choice but to make his eulogies wholesale.