Vivian on 12/9/2007 at 10:32
Does anyone else find it a little distasteful how the world trade center site is now referred to as 'ground zero'? I always thought that phrase applied to that place in Japan where the US cheerfully vaporised a few hundred thousand people.
Before you hit me, I'm not saying 'boo hoo get over it' or anything, it's just that while 9/11 was undoubtably a tragedy for anyone involved, and a uniquely disturbing act of agression with a particularly strong symbolic impact, in terms of raw human death and misery it's been surpassed many times over in the recent past and in the currently ongoing problem sites around the world. Especially, comparing it even subconciously to the aforementioned nuclear bomb site suggests a certain lack of perspective.
mopgoblin on 12/9/2007 at 11:15
"Ground zero" refers to the point on the Earth's surface directly below the point at which a nuclear weapon is detonated. It's not specific to Hiroshima or Nagasaki, but it doesn't apply to the World Trade Centre.
Now, if we're going to be counting deaths, we'll find that American society is a plentiful source of violence, death, and misery - each year, in the United States, there are around 15000 homicides, 30000 suicides, and 42000 deaths from motor vehicle accidents. In the six years since the attacks on the World Trade Centre, that's about 90000/180000/252000 deaths respectively - far more than the number that died in the towers and on the planes. Who would argue that these lives were of lesser value that those ended by the attacks? Why then are they not deserving of the same remembrance?
Matthew on 12/9/2007 at 11:15
I think 'ground zero' was just the general term for the point where the explosion occurs, or the point of land directly below that if the explosion was above ground. You're right, however, that Ground Zero became the term used for Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I'm informed by Wiki that the rescue workers preferred 'The Pile' for the WTC site.
Moi Dix Mois on 12/9/2007 at 11:20
Quote Posted by Mikael Grizzly
my country.
This is why you care. They were your peple from your country. Not my people, and not American people.
Do you begrudge Americans for caring more about their own people than yours?
43,000 civilians were killed in the Blitz, but I don't cry and BAWWWW that nobody outside of England is interested. It's not their problem.
Is the loss of those 43,000 civilians more of a tragedy than 23,000 soldiers?
I think they're equally awful.
Scots Taffer on 12/9/2007 at 11:20
Quote Posted by Foubister
That's a cheap shot and you know it.
I have no idea who you are and I've not read a single one of your posts in this thread, and I'm not likely to ever read a post of yours given this response to a comment meant with good intentions to someone other than yourself. So, kindly fuck off.
SubJeff on 12/9/2007 at 11:32
Quote Posted by Foubister
And you got your degree in psychology from where again? This is an area no one without the proper credentials should even consider entering.
Way to make assumptions about me or my credentials. I don't need a degree in psychology to know that you "knowing" that you'd have committed suicide by now if you'd actually seen the attacks is abnormal to some extent. In fact I'll wager that no one else on the board would say the same.
We know that the events in WW2 were terrible and lasting Grizzly. But 9/11 is pretty fresh in that there are people alive now who lost friends and relatives there. Come on, it's less than 10yrs ago.
fett on 12/9/2007 at 11:49
In 600 B.C. the Medes killed over 10,000 Persians when they rampaged the city of Babylon. Many men, women, and children died that day for nothing more than conquest and greed.
Everyone here is going on and on about the Iraq War, WWII, the Polish invasion, but did anyone stop to consider this heartless act? Who's thinking of the Persians? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
Rogue Keeper on 12/9/2007 at 11:59
And before that Caine killed Abel. WHO CARES ABOUT POOR ABEL ?
Vivian on 12/9/2007 at 12:01
Did that actually happen? I thought they made it up for the bible. Besides, the Persians have been tireless making everyone a rug for the last umpty years by way of atonement.
Was 9/11 more of a political event than a personal event? Is this, rather than the death score, why the world should still pay attention?
PS Froubister I'm way more depressed than you
Rogue Keeper on 12/9/2007 at 12:08
Ok, for atheists : Australopithecus UGGH smashed the living shit out of Australopithecus ROGG. Poor ROGG. Who cares about him. There was no world wide web back then where other Australopithecuses would mourn about this sad occurence.
