A worse crime
Last week, 32 children were among 90 people killed in Houla, Syria. The international community has united in its condemnation of the people responsible for this atrocity. Predictably, the Syrian government denies any responsibility and blames “terrorists”: while the opposition Free Syrian Army, equally predictably, claims it was done by government forces. Reports from the area are inconclusive, though there seems to be a prevalent belief that this was the work of a brutal and terrified government.
Whenever children and the elderly are murdered in large numbers, particularly for political motives, there is always an international outcry. I certainly don’t defend such behaviour, whether perpetrated by government forces or opposition. But I could ask in what way the death of a child or an old person is worse than the death of a mother or father, whose children are left without anyone to care for them. I could ask in what way death is worse than survival, maimed and unable to care for oneself. I could ask in what way sudden death by bullet or knife is worse than slow death from starvation and disease in a region crippled by war, famine or poverty. And I could ask why the murder of 32 children deserves international condemnation, but wilful destruction of the future of millions of young people through harsh and misguided economic policies matters not at all.
Frances Coppola
Part of a post from Coppola Comment.
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June 3, 2012 at 08:13 -
And I might answer that attempting to conflate Western economic and social policies you disagree with marginally* with immediate murder is absurd and wildly melodramatic.
(*I am guessing the person favours a bit more public spending, thus only really marginal differences with what is going on throughout the West)
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June 3, 2012 at 08:41 -
Perish the thought, but when you had a ‘District Commisioner’ in charge, there was a fair chance that , ‘none of the above’, would befall the poor down-trodden native.
However, a mixture of mischief making by the Soviets and their fellow travellers on the British left , were largely responsible for making the lot of the dweller of sub-Saharan Africa , a pretty miserablr existence. -
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June 3, 2012 at 08:56 -
And I could ask why the murder of 32 children deserves international condemnation, but wilful destruction of the future of millions of young people through harsh and misguided economic policies matters not at all.
You could and you would need to accompany it with a picture of young people …
… nonetheless enjoying all the trappings of a consumer society. -
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June 3, 2012 at 09:37 -
” ………… I could ask in what way the death of a child or an old person is worse than the death of a mother or father ……..”
The latter have a semblance of a chance of defending themselves.
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June 3, 2012 at 12:47
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June 3, 2012 at 09:46 -
Jesus Christ, 1st world problems, get a grip.
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June 3, 2012 at 10:00 -
I could ask myself if there has ever been a more appallingly self indulgent and trite blog post.
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June 3, 2012 at 10:03 -
“I could ask…”
No, I wouldn’t, if I were you.A brave try, but it flopped.
You should have left out the last sentence if you wanted any respect. -
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June 3, 2012 at 10:12 -
Adults can run faster than children and old people. And why do you not criticise the Western development aid that helps the population of an area to exceed the holding capacity even in good years, with consequent famines in drought years? Blame the misguided traditional cultures that measure their power and wealth by head of cattle grazed on thin grassland or the size of families requiring more trees to be cut down for firewood on cooking fires resulting in drought and soil erosion.
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June 3, 2012 at 20:06 -
Quite right sir, but how do we now hold Harold Wilson, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to account?
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June 3, 2012 at 22:23 -
Single Acts of Tyranny
No, actually you are wrong. I’m referring to the misbegotten Euro and the disastrous attempts to prop it up. Have a look at my post.
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June 3, 2012 at 22:25 -
Steve
You don’t think developing world governments pursue economic policies that wreck the future of young people in their countries, then?
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