Yes it’s sad that Michael Jackson died too young, another divinely talented soul gone from this place. But there are other important stories in the news today, stories that are overshadowed by the pop star’s untimely death. In Oklahoma yesterday afternoon nine people died horrible deaths in a highway wreck that sounds hauntingly familiar.
When my husband told me there had been a wreck in Oklahoma my heart already knew. He began by stating that traffic had been stopped on the freeway. I knew the rest of it before the words were out of his mouth. A semi slammed into the back of an SUV, then into other vehicles. Eight adults and a child are gone. They didn’t live extravagant lifestyles, they didn’t cause crowds to scream, they weren’t worth billions, didn’t owe millions, weren’t particularly special. Except to their families; to their friends and families these nine people were priceless.
So. Is nine lives enough for us and for our legislators to take notice? How many is enough? Five thousand people are truck crash victims every year. When is enough enough? Of course we don’t know yet what kept that truck driver from seeing all the traffic stopped ahead. We don’t know if fatigue was a factor. The news report indicate alcohol was not involved. If not drink, then what?
We need to find out. And we need to make sure this tragedy isn’t buried under celebrity news. These nine people deserve as much attention as the other stories of the day. Their lives were worth as much, their deaths should not go unnoticed.
Yes, I heard about that terrible accident. Also on the agile dog list a few weeks ago. A lady and her husband were coming back form a trial and a semi pulled over into their lane. The husband swerved, off the road, back on and was hit by the semi. All dogs left the car after the accident. A day or two later they were found. The husband was ok. The wife, broke both legs, dislocated both hips and broke her pelvis. She has a long road of rehab and healing. The trucker had had a similar accident a few weeks before this one too. Diana
Well said. What will it take for our legislators to take notice? I haven’t heard any news except for Michael’s death. Crazy how that’s the only news that is being reported.
I think a lot of times people think of these events only as “accidents”, not preventable crashes that keep reoccurring.
It is too bad that a tragedy like this is being overshadowed by one celebrity’s death. On a slow news day, it would have made top billing.
Yes, well said, Dawn. Farrah Fawcett died the same day, but nobody is talking about her (at least not here in New Zealand) and each of the car crash victim deserves the same love, respect and recognition as either of them, because they also had loved ones that will miss them. Sometimes we need to be reminded to get our priorities right
It is something I say to my husband every time some famous US celebrity dies or a tragedy happens her in the USA….the over reaction from news hungry news shows is something I find appalling. You can almost hear the glee in their voices as they report…..that wow !!! there is a story we can rehash over and over again for the next two weeks or months. How long did that Natalie Holloway thing go on!!! And they won’t be happy if Michael Jackson just died from a plain old heart attack – no there HAS TO BE something sinister behind it, he was taking too many pills, it was a bad doctors, he didn’t get help soon enough. But what else can you expect from a country that puts more value of a basketball or football player – paying them millions and millions each year and gives a pittance to cancer research. Thousands of people dies needlessly each year in car crashes – but how much is spent in preventing it?
Dad called Oklahoma home for about four years. He told it was one place he felt like he belonged.
Essex & Deacon
I’m crying because I feel the hurt.
I’m crying because I don’t want the hurt to spread to others.
I’m crying because I want the senseless killing to stop, but I can’t make it stop.
So I’m crying because I feel the hurt.