Is anyone else offended that baseball games and other sporting

[JimmyJazz]

events are taking place? That MTV is continuing to broadcast? Didn't the country shut down after 9/11? Where are the flags? Where are the tears? Do people not understand that the death toll is going to greatly exceed 3,000?

I don't get it.

[tjwmason]

1. I'm speculating here

But I think that people distinguish between a specific attack, and an act of nature.

Certainly looking at the British coverage - it's nowhere near 9-11. One British newspaper actually had another story on the front-page this morning.

I'm not supporting it - just that's what I think is behind it.

:hug: To you and all Americans.

[JimmyJazz]

2. OH GOD - the babies. Oh the babies!

Oh GOD! Oh God! These people have been left for dead.

[Zuni]

3. Natural disasters do not generate the kind of fear and uncertainty

across the entire nation that a completely unexpected terror attack did

although this tragedy seems to be on a far greater scale---an entire city, a major US city---home of much of what makes america great from jazz music to mardi gras to cajun cooking

[JimmyJazz]

5. Our priorities as a nation are totally fucked up.

Why do I hate America? This pretty much sums it up. They let babies die because they don't give a shit, but god dammit, let's not let some brain dead women go to HER final resting place.

[Deja Q]

11. When a television set (made in China) has greater priority...

You can bet I'm not happy.

[crispini]

4. YES.

YES.

[GOPisEvil]

6. Hey, this isn't the first hurricane to ever hit the US...

...:eyes:

[JimmyJazz]

7. It's one thing to drown in a flood - that is a tragedy.... to die because

your country didn't give a shit is criminal.

[GOPisEvil]

10. Damn straight. Let's start locking everyone in the * administration up!

Fucking bastards! May they rot in the 9th circle of hell.

edit - I can see how my original post in this thread could be misconstrued as not being in agreement with the thought that sporting events should be canceled. I think they should until the immediate danger to life has passed. I think we can live one weekend without sports.

[SOteric]

8. In my case, I'm not sure 'offended' is the right word.

That would imply that I had an expectation that folk would act otherwise, and truly, I didn't. I've long been of the opinion that sporting events held too high a priority in modern culture.

I am disappointed that the population has not used this horrific event and those poor suffering individuals as a reason to rally, roll up their sleeves and pitch in.

And yet, I perfectly understand the need for life to go on; for many to step away from the shock and grief, if only for a short time.

[JimmyJazz]

9. But, I don't see that they are stepping away from shock and grief.

I'm getting the impression that this is just a blip on the radar screen to most people. Have there been moments of silence before the events? I don't know.

[SOteric]

13. I don't actually know about any moments of silence.

But I know that for those I work with, - many of whom have no family or specific interests in the Gulf of Mexico, it has nonetheless been a subject weighing heavily in their hearts and conversations.

Many feel overwhelmed and sad, frustrated by their complete inability to do anything for those who are suffering and dying.

[JimmyJazz]

18. That's nice to read. The people in my office turned on the Phillies game.

:(

[ovidsen]

12. Nothing new.

JFK was assassinated on 11/22/63, a Friday.

His funeral was Monday, 11/25.

The day before, Sunday, the NFL played it's regular schedule. The games were televised. I was a kid then, and I was, er, puzzled.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. It's not like people are still dying or anything

Geeze, we have to get on with our lives, ya know.

:sarcasm:

[JimmyJazz]

16. It's not like people are dying as a result of TOTAL incompetence on

the part of the people in charge of keeping people safe? Oh. Now I get it. Silly me. And the band played on....

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. I believe there's a hidden sarcasm tag somewhere there.

Maybe I can't see it because it's turning left very fast.

[JimmyJazz]

17. I'm not being sarcastic. It's disgraceful that the vast majority of

people in this country don't seem to have a clue about the devastation of, not the hurricane, but the way things have been handled since the hurricane occurred.

[two gun sid]

19. I no longer understand the people of this country.

Some of the shit I heard today from fellow union workers made me want to throttle a few of the fuckers. The situation in NOLA makes me sick and most folks I know could give a good fuck about the victims of the storm.

I just don't know what has become of the US. The only thing we can get excited about is having our military kill brown people.

[In_The_Wind]

20. Yes, JimmyJazz ... I AM offended.

If monies had not been diverted away from the Lake Ponchartrain Levey work toward fighting a war ... then perhaps less people would have died or lost everything.

This is another disaster caused by mismanagement!

[LynneSin]

21. Actually No, I think it's good for healing and here's my 9/11-Nascar story

And no, I hate fricking NASCAR

When I first moved to Delaware I volunteered at my local Red Cross (I had to quit after my job responsiblities changed) and I was a volunteer during 9/11. Helped out in the office with sorting checks sent to us for the 9/11 relief donations.

I remember that Dover Downs had their 2nd major NASCAR race of the season about 2 weekends after 9/11 (not the immediate one - the one after) and I know there were some doubts as to whether they should still have it. All events were cancelled the previous weekend (as they should).

But they held it and they offered to our chapter of the Red Cross about 10-12 booths around the Speedway for us to setup and collect money for the Red Cross. We were there on Saturday and Sunday (it seems NASCAR races have a bunch of pre-event stuff that goes on all week).

As much criticism that I'll give NASCAR and their fans - I was amazed at how generous everyone was when we stood there holding cans asking for donations (especially Saturday - more drinking on that day!). Plus they did collections inside the speedway (although I was not a part of that).

Maybe it's no big deal, but they tried to give back as much as they could and pay rememberance for those who had died. And maybe just give a little big of encouragement to a country feeling blue about what happened.

So maybe in my sometimes cynical but optimistic heart I hope that sporting events across the country are doing their part to collect money for relief effort and pay rememberance to those who have died.

And Florida did get hit with 4 hurricanes last year and nothing stopped in the way of events. Heck the World Series was only postponed a week when the earthquake happened in 89.

So let the games go on and let's pray that these sporting heroes (to some anyways) will use this opportunity to help raise funds for our brothers & sisters in need

That is all

:loveya:

[VelmaD]

22. I know at least two sporting events tonight are...

raising money. I'm currently flipping back and forth between the Cowboys and Texans' pre-season games. The Cowboys are teaming with the Salvation Army to raise money tonight. And the owner of the Texans is matching donations made during his team's game tonight up to $1 million.

I'm sure they aren't the only teams doing this exact same sort of thing tonight. If it gets the word out to a different segment of society that maybe doesn't watch the news and if it gets them to donate...then good.

[ronnykmarshall]

23. Ya know what's odd.

I MORE freaked out by this than I was on 9/11.

I think it's because I see what started on 9/11 has led up to this.

BushCo looted the nation for his fucking war and now that another disaster has hit, we don't have the resoures to help.

I live in Los Angeles and if we had an earthquake we would be screwed.

This mother fucker has ruined this nation and the lives of the people in the Gulf Coast are on his head.

[WCGreen]

24. The Houston University College game has

opened up the game for free to anyone with a drivers liscense from AL, MI or LA....

Thet are playing the game in the stadium right next to the Astrodome.

These people need a distraction. They need to take their minds off of the misery....

I confess, I am watching the Browns game right now....

But I am also bouncing back and forth between the games and the news channels....

And I am psoting in here as well.....

I sent a check... Mrs. WCGreen Donated blood (I can't cause I take too many damn med.'s)....

[JimmyJazz]

25. I do understand that, but I guess my point is that there wasn't any

stop before the start. After 9/11, things STOPPED. I just feel like it's been business as usual from day one.

[WCGreen]

27. Your right... But I think that had to do with the

slow unfolding of this whole mess.....

9/11 was all at once.....

That may have had something to do with the difference....

[LynneSin]

33. There were fears of more attacks

Terrorists don't give you a week to prepare for their arrival.

I think that's the big difference between the 2

[KittyWampus]

26. I Don't Know What To Feel About It.

[JimmyJazz]

28. I understand. It's hard to wrap my brain around this.

[Redstone]

29. It's possible that people simply can't comprehend the enormity

of it. How many people could have ever dreamed it possible that in this day and age, whe could lose a whole city?

And of course, there are those who say that nobody cares and nobody's doing anything because of racism. Always comes down to that, doesn't it?

Hang in there, kiddo. I can see this is traumatic for you, as it is for many of us.

Redstone

[JimmyJazz]

30. You are so amazing. But, if people could grasp the enormity of 9/11

those same people should be able to grasp the enormity of this. They just don't want to admit that this administration fucked up.

[peekaloo]

31. One positive note. They are using the events for relief collections.

But I understand what you are saying. We are being further desensitized to tragic events.

[KittyWampus]

32. perhaps this can help focus even more healing energy towards NOLA

people who might otherwise have been clueless or removed.

[miss_kitty]

34. I think because there aren't really hard numbers

It's not real to our self-involved myopic society. "It can't happen to us. We live here." "they're looting. What animals. *I* would never do that."

Remember 9/11 for the first day or so afterward they were claiming perhaps 20,000 people died? That and the sheer ickiness of someone deliberately smashing airplanes into buildings just galvanised people. That could have been them.

Also the hype machine was ramped up to indict a specific enemy, to actually turn 9/11 into some sports metaphor-Them against us, our team is better, they cheated, get the cheerleaders out let's KILL THEM! where's your school spirit? Traitor. you hate your own school you're rooting for the other team you don't EVEN WANT US TO PLAY THE GAME! YOU FUCKERS...WE'RE NUMBER ONE! NOW GET OUT THERE AND KILLLLLL THEMMMMM!

Can't really do that to a hurricane. They're certainly not his base.

Face it this country is being run by the most tremendous asshole on the planet. He has the advantage of history and science which he totally ignores and disdains. He has no excuse.

[JimmyJazz]

35. I do understand that, but it's not the HURRICANE that has caused so

much suffering (I know it has) insomuch as the lack of response to it that has caused these problems. How can it be business as usual when people in this country are dying in lawn chairs because they have been neglected?

And MK, you know this isn't directed to you. Your post is thoughtful and intelligent as usual. My ire is directed at those who are supposed to be in charge and to those who are completely apathetic to the situation - you know, the same people with an American flag stuck on the window of their car just 4 years ago.

[Dastard Stepchild]

36. I don't believe that everyone sees these poor people as victims...

There are some who have argued that "these people" should have gotten into their (imaginary) cars and rented hotel rooms with their (imaginary) $50,000 nest egg. :eyes:

My point being that I think that with 9/11, the nation felt that the terrorist event was totally out of left field, and there was nothing that the victims could do to prepare for the horror. In this case, you have some insensitive souls who believe that irresponsible people had it coming to them. If only they would have listened to warnings, they wouldn't find themselves in this predicament. I think that if one can (erroneously, IMO) assign blame to the individual, it reduces one's propensity for compassion and pity. New Orleans citizens are not the only casualty of this hurricane - I'm afraid compassion, for some people, died as well.

[Redneck Socialist]

37. No n/t

[Tom Kitten]

38. Compassion

is definitely lacking...dollars are more important and besides, they chose to live there...

[Jamastiene]

39. Yes, I am. Not only that, but

I am offended that it's 5 days after the hurricane and they still haven't moved more people to safety, fed them, given them medical attention, and the worst part is that no one has held them accountable.

I'm more than offended. I'm outraged. I feel the need to TYPE IN ALL CAPS TONIGHT for some odd reason. I just need to vent.

[darkism]

40. No. Nobody can take this bad news 24/7 without immense sadness and stress.

There has to be something else to get one's mind off of this constant death and depression every once in a while. I, for one, have been following things all day every day since they occured, and I simply can't take anymore right now.

I need a break. I'm turning on Seinfeld right now.

It doesn't make me heartless. I just can't take any more sadness and heartbreak right now.