Insensitivity to Tragedy

The top news article "Planes collide at air show in Poland, killing both pilots" covered cnn.com's main webpage today and would normally (so I thought) evoke feelings of saddness for the pilots and their families (September 1, 2007). American Online also advertised a link to their news webpage on the main sign-in screen. I can easily suspect--with a news report range from CNN to AOL-- that this story is large enough and tragic enough to have at least been mentioned on other news stations. Undoubtedly, the newscasters did not mock the dead pilots they spoke of, nor would they have trailed into a tangent concerning the meaning of life with a "just grab a beer" message. Many average American "commentors" on American Online, however, felt it was necessary to not only mock Polish people but also to state their view on this world and heaven. Whatever happened to the feelings of remorse for an obviously painful circumstance? Considering that nearly half of the article comments were negative and unsupportive in nature, does that mean sympathy and sensitivity is being pushed out of the way by cynicism and cold-heartedness? If so, how did so many Americans come to this state of being?

The most racially insulting comment, in my opinion (especially considering my Polish heritage), was posted by screenname wils6gr at 6:46pm on September 2:

"Once a Pollock! Always a Pollock! Now there are two less Pollocks!!!!"

At what point in plane crash history did tragic crashes become something only Polish people dealt with? Having lived in Arizona where the airforce base has many airshows, I have heard of my fair share of tragedies. None were ever attributed to nationality, and no one ever made comments about "Once an American, always an American". It would have seemed ignorant and it would have been ignorant. Not to mention, the horrific nature in rejoicing that there are "two less Pollocks!!!!" is quite disturbing.

Some people felt that this tragedy, which happened in Poland, was a great opportunity to comment about American political parties:

"The same thing happens whenever you have two or more Republicans at a four-way stop sign. Their brains are somehow incapable of handling the concept." (blamethechimp, 6:33pm September 2, 2007)

I believe this comment should not be dignified with a response.

The worst comment, above all, almost seems as if it was posted to get a rise out of people. At least, that is what I hope since I can only pray this person does not actually harbor such anger and hate:

"I'm glad they were killed, they deserved it...good riddance" (trinagurl28, 6:54pm September 2, 2007).

The list of hate comments, random "who-wants-a-beer" type comments, and political comments overwhelm the respectful blessings that some people posted on the AOL wall. I hope the families of the dead pilots never see or hear about comment walls like the one I read tonight. The nonchalant attitudes towards death and pain project an extreme insensitivity towards other people, an insensitivity that coul lead to a nation's interior breakdown from selfishness.

Being the average American, I did not believe that the average American could be so thoughtless with their words; I did not believe the average American could be so unconcerned for families in pain. Tonight was the first time I doubted the average American's level of sensitivity. I pray that when most people watched the footage of the two planes crashing into one another they cringed and felt sorrow. The commentors on AOL push me to think that Americans didn't feel anything at all. I hope I'm wrong.