The Pitters' Place

So I'm wondering how many, if any of you, heard about the shootings in Tunisia? I think 38 fatalities, about 15 of which were British. Anyway, our Government announced that today we would all perform a minute's silence to show respect for the dead. Umm...what? Why the fuck should we do that? We didn't do it for the Nepal earthquake victims, or the hundreds who died in the Mediterranean escaping Africa. I don't recall doing it for the ebola victims or those who died on the German plane crashed into the Alps.

Oh wait, these were white and British, and it helps stir up anti-muslim feelings so they have more support when striking back in Syria and Iran. Well that's okay then. I hate all the people who actively participated in this shit and told me exactly who I need to care about

Are you British? Because unless it's another country asking for one minute of silence I don't really see the it's because they are white connection... My guess is they are doing it, because it was their countrymen and it's something countries have taken up to have one minute of silence when they have casualties.

What happened in Tunisia, is a terrible tragedy. But it hasn't gotten as much press as other stuff that have happened.

I am. I am also aware that thousands of people will be killed on British roads this year. Maybe we should have a silence for them too? Or the hundred or so people you can expect to be murdered per year? What's so special about these holiday makers, other than it allows the PM to make grand speeches about 'striking back'.

It's not they are more special than others, but that so many died in a single tragedy.

Anyways like I said, it's something that countries do for their countrymen when a tragedy occurs, it's not only the british that do it.

it helps stir up anti-muslim feelings so they have more support when striking back in Syria and Iran.

Yup.
That's the real reason behind nationalism.

We observed a minute's silence for the 3 Irish victims, as well as all the others who were murdered. I'm not sure how that can be linked to stirring up anti-muslim feeling or nationalism. I am sure the Germans paid their respects to those people who died in the plane crash, the Nepalese for the earthquake victims and so on.

We observed a minutes silence for the port Arthur massacre, the black Friday bushfires the Asian Tsunami and a whole host of other "not doing this to stir up any anti-anything sentiments" as well .. I'm more inclined to agree that its the scale and the unexpected tragedy of it all than a propagandist ploy..

We do the minute of silence for local casualties too - in fact we recently had a whole day of mourning for the Singaporeans (mostly schoolchildren on a trip) lost in the Sabah earthquake - even though they are neither white nor British. As Liszt said, it's about respect for one's countrymen and their many friends and families who are grieving in our presence, all having been bereaved at the same time. When people die in car crashes and such, they are isolated incidents that affect a small number of people; their lives aren't worth less, but the area of impact is smaller, and to notify an entire country about each individual death would be both impractical as well as spread the pain. Whereas when multiple people die at once - like in an airplane crash or a shooting - the pain is simultaneously felt across the country, because the victims' sphere of influence would have touched so many people, all of whom are feeling the loss at the exact same time. The silence is for them.

Anakin McFly wrote:As Liszt said

As IslandMur said...

Well, generally. ..maybe patriotism isn't necessarily a harmless thing.

And Western patriotism has quite a history of horrendous shit.