Boston Marathon

[Rowan]

I hope this isn't straying off topic, but it does have to do with the boston bombing. I have a few arab friends on fb (inb4 "omg what rowan has arab friends?) and there have been quite a few posts like this



It got me thinking and I was wondering if this would be an example of a 'strawman' argument? Noone is arguing that the deaths occuring around the world are less important, but thats rather something he conjured up to make argument. I am correct in saying that?

[Alpha]

I hope this isn't straying off topic, but it does have to do with the boston bombing. I have a few arab friends on fb (inb4 "omg what rowan has arab friends?) and there have been quite a few posts like this



It got me thinking and I was wondering if this would be an example of a 'strawman' argument? Noone is arguing that the deaths occuring around the world are less important, but thats rather something he conjured up to make argument. I am correct in saying that?

I'll be honest: I don't actually know what a strawman argument is, really. I'm also too lazy to look it up. It's a really stupid argument your friend/s has/have made though. That's like me saying that this event doesn't matter because today three New Zealanders died on the roads (legit a true story), and goddamn why hasn't CNN given equal coverage to this Kiwi atrocity! The difference is that a bomb attack in Boston, during an international event, is something exceptional. It's ****ing sad that all those people dying in Iraq and Afghanistan should be considered non-exceptional (as well as those road fatalities in NZ, too), but that's the case. [To illustrate, 31 people died in coordinated car bombs across Iraq today: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22149863]. Also! Americans tend to read American news. It's not that this is more important than those deaths in Iraq... it's just that Iraq isn't in America. Of course Americans (and Oceanians, and Europeans) care more about American news... there's a much higher degree of personal connection. Anyway. Back to this.

This event is sad, that goes without saying. I'm curious to find out who was behind it. It seems to me due to the nature of the injuries (injured adults, primarily at leg-height; and several dead children, whose heads may be at adult leg-height) that the bombs may have been in bags, left on the pavement, or something. Pretty ****ing sick.

The guy who I work most closely with at my work is actually a Bostonite (is that the correct group noun?). He's the nicest (loudest), funniest (egregious, in the good sense) friend I have. He was quite shaken by all of it.

[Freya]

Also! Americans tend to read American news.

That's exactly it. It doesn't matter what happened and where, the first thing mentioned in EVERY country is how many people who lived in this country died. That's why for Americans it is WAY more important when something happens in their own country. Isn't that just right? It's only natural to care most about your fellow people.

Besides: Am I the only one who's shocked about that message Rowan posted (the one from his FB friends! To make that clear, sorry Rowan!)? The main argument of that posting was: "The more deaths, the more important." And that really is... shocking. Just shocking. I don't care how many died - there will always be family left behind. It makes me sad when 2 people die and it is indeed sad to hear that 3 people died in NZ.


As for the bombings: I happened to switch on the TV (and I normally don't watch TV at all!) a few minutes before Obama spoke. (And seriously, I wouldn't want to be him right now.) I'm surprised he didn't say it was a terrorist attack - though CNN stated it was - and I wouldn't jump to conclusions as well. I just hope they'll find out who's behind this soon.
Gotta watch more TV now.

[Rowan]

Besides: Am I the only one who's shocked about that message Rowan posted? The main argument of that posting was: "The more deaths, the more important." And that really is... shocking. Just shocking. I don't care how many died - there will always be family left behind. It makes me sad when 2 people die and it is indeed sad to hear that 3 people died in NZ.
.

Remember, it wasn't my argument. I didnt post that message.

[Freya]

Remember, it wasn't my argument. I didnt post that message.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry I didn't think my words could be mistaken. I've read that the message isn't from you but from your friends, but you posted it on here, that's why I chose those words.
I'm going to edit it to make that clear! Sorry sorry, I really didn't think about that. >.<