beslan
About the terrible goings-on in Beslan,
Bitchphd writes "I was amazed that I saw nothing in any of the blogs I read about it. I think the commenter [at
Crooked Timber] who said that no one is talking about it because everyone is struck dumb with horror is, of course, right."
That pretty much sums it up, for me. All I know is that atrocities occurred, and it makes me very, very sad. I can't string together any words that make the situation any better, or that provide any comfort, or bring any new information to light about why the Chechen terrorists did what they did.
I was sitting around the cookie-eating station at the blood center today, with a bunch of other post-donation people, and we were all reading various parts of the newspapers. One man, wearing police-issue shirt/pants/boots, put his paper down and said to no one in particular "I can't believe people would use children like that". This, from a guy who has probably seen his fair share of tragic behavior. Children as political pawns, children as shields, children as targets—I'll never be able to wrap my brain around that one.
I also haven't read a lot in the blogosphere about it, save for what people on my blogroll have written (
Hugo Schwyzer, Mac at
pesky'apostrophe), but I agree with what one commenter of bitchphd's said: "I think people were silent because they didn't have anything illuminating to say. It wasn't just that they were struck dumb by horror." I don't have anything illuminating to say, but the five people who read my blog don't come here for illumination...at least I hope they don't.
