The other day Iraq was hit with a series of terrorist attacks today, similar in nature to those that rocked Paris, Belgium, and elsewhere. It took place outside of a Baghdad soccer stadium, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 29 31. When the attacks took place in Belgium I wrote:
While it is perhaps Western-Centric to acknowledge these attacks in a special way and not simultaneously note the daily attacks throughout the Middle East … whatever. You can be right in the big picture – today is still awful.
And there is something to that. A life is a life, and a terrorist attack the same, regardless of location. But there is a more newsworthy aspect to an attack in Belgium simply because it’s more unusual. For worse, we are used to hearing about such attacks in the Middle East. Suicide bombings aren’t a daily occurrence in the west. Man Bites Dog vs Dog Bites Man.
Further, the western media naturally should report more on what happens in the west. Every media does this. It’s why Chicago reports on murders that happen in Chicago and not those that happen in New York City (and why NYC acts like whenever they get snow it is the storm of the century).
Nonetheless…
Here’s the formal statement: fuck those people.
There won’t be a “je suis Iraq” movement. And I’m sure many are happy to say, “It’s Them Killing Them.” There’s the attitude of “Don’t export your killers.” I don’t know. I’m an idiot with an iPad right now and all I know that the people who died didn’t deserve it.
I reiterate: fuck you.
We now resume our regular programming of good, bad, and stupid.
Mike
