Why is this not shocking to the everyday American?

Question

US Casualties By Calendar Year
Year US Deaths US Wounded
2003.... 486............ 2409
2004.... 849........ 8002
2005.... 846........ 5948
2006.... 822........ 6398
2007.... 603........ 3801
Total.... 3606..... 26558

At a dinner last night I tried to bring up the dead and wounded but all wanted to talk about Baseball, Hilton, Spears. No one cared about the war in Iraq or about the soldiers who die. As one young person said "I don't have any use for a person who joins on his own and dies. He's nothing to me". Then she started to talk about Paris Hilton.

Answer 1

Victory! Victory at last for corporate America! People care more about the life of someone who actually hasn't done a single thing to become famous than someone who has DIED supposedly fighting for freedom! People are so obsessed with themselves, and their own insular celebrity worshipping lives that they have utterly lost the ability to empathise.

Answer 2

I think most Americans are shocked and very much aware of these numbers. But I also think that, for many reasons, the average American has reached saturation on the images and stories from this war. Embedded journalists provide some pretty graphic and emotionally intense footage. News stories of the struggles faced by military families and returning soldiers run daily, and they rarely have happy endings. Almost every "picture of the week" page on the web has photos of Americans in body armor fighting for thier lives or shots of flag draped coffins. And with the smaller military, even fewer people know someone in the service, so they are not as emotionally invested. I am a military wife. I have a nephew who has done three tours in Iraq. Last week, the son of a family friend, someone I used to babysit for, was killed in Iraq. I am part of the group of people who's lives are directly influenced by this and even I can't look at the news or read the papers some days. We have reached emotional saturation...it is time for everyone to come home.

Answer 3

As they say, familiarity breeds contempt, or at the least ambivalence. I think our culture is so ingrained in media violence, that the war in Iraq seems like another movie or TV program and our brains just can't seem to grasp the reality. I do agree that those who join the military should be aware that the ultimate role of a soldier is to kill the enemy. That's why everybody does basic training. So it is a choice that should be made with a realization of the possible consequences. Some join for ulterior motives such as gain financial benefits, some join for the adrenalin rush, and many join because they are simply patriots. While I pray daily for peace in the world, it is with the realization that there are still many people out there who wish to destroy those with whom they do not agree. It is a great paradox that sometimes peace can only be maintained by war. As for your young friend, perhaps you might ask the question, "I understand that you do not respect the military, but what are you doing to make the world a better place?" Peace my brother

Answer 4

I think it is actually quite shocking to a lot of people. The death toll is a big reason why at least half of the country wants an immediate withdrawal and why 2/3's disapprove of our elected officials. However there will always be those who are disconnected or are completely apathetic to the situation. Some people worry more about what celebrity is dating whom and who will American Idol. That's the nature of this country. Also, it doesn't help how mis- and under-informed we are compared to most other countries. My girlfriend is in Italy right now and has been amazed by how much more disclosure they get across the pond. Perhaps it isn't so much that we are not shocked as it is that we lack motivation to do anything about it.

Answer 5

It is not shocking to the everyday American because our media doesn't remind us daily of what is going on over there. It is just a bunch of numbers to most people. I wish there was a way to make people understand that these men and women are dying. The ones affected don't forget however. On Post, or within the families of a fallen soldier, you find things much different. But kids that are so worried about hilton and spears (no matter how old they are, they are basically kids) Know nothing of sacrifice, and nothing of what our soldiers are out there doing. Every one of those 3606 soldiers who died, had families. Those families will never again see their son/daughter/mother/father/husband/wife/sister/brother/aunt/uncle/cousin, again.

For all of you that simply say its war and it happens. I know of a man who had to deploy when his wife was preg with their first child. She delivered when he was in Iraq. HE NEVER MADE IT HOME TO MEET HIS BABY GIRL. That baby didn't deserve to lose her daddy, without meeting him, all before she was 3 months old.
This war is stupid, and we need to get out.

Answer 6

I really care about the soldiers in Iraq.
Yes, the celeb's get a lot of useless attention-it is a diversion. War is a subject that not too many people like to talk about. And an unsuccessful war with no salvation, is even worst.
The more diversions we have for people to not think about this unfortunate situation the better.
Corporations stand to loose, the Republican party as a whole have a lot to loose. These are huge consequences! Sad part is- many lives are getting lost in the process.

Answer 7

First off these figures aren't generally known (particularly the figures on the wounded) but even if they were, in relative terms, they're not as horrible as they have been in past wars. As for you friend, you should find better friends with a little more depth. As a conscientious act, I do not think about people like her otherwise I would have got out/retired long ago 'cause she's nothing to me either......

Answer 8

do you really not know the answer?
kids dont have to worry about anything. Young people of today really dont know the value of money or freedom. They are handed everything for doing nothing (cell phones at 9, brand new cars at 15) Parents dont make their kids see anything beyond themselves, thats the way of america. Parents are too busy to pay attention, so mtv and tmz raise the youth to believe all that matters is what clothes they have on their back or what cell phone is in their pocket and only to care about what all the "cool" people are doing.
Im 25 yrs old, im not a conservative. It just pisses me off that all the the things the (majority of) young population cares about is taken completely for granted and those lives that they have "no use for" are how they are able to have that silver spoon hanging out of their mouth.

Answer 9

It is shocking when you put it in retrospect. But you have to consider most everyday americans watch tv and when the news is more centered toward entertainment issues people forget about the tragedies our soldiers deal with daily. I mean sure they will do a 10 min piece on the war. But in all honesty. People dont want to hear about tragedy every day and the shock value of a spoiled girl being treated different in jail seems to out rank the troubles of war overseas. Sad but true. I also believe americans are ashamed of going into someone elses country at the dis approval of the rest of the world eventhought its right to set the oppressed free.

Answer 10

"I don't have any use for a person who joins on his own and dies. He's nothing to me" }the person who said this to you, punch her in the mouth!People join and fight and sometimes die to protect America. It's the soldier who protects your friend's right to be a dumbass. It's unfortunate that Paris *whore* Hilton means more to a person than their freedom and way of life.


If you're reading this, thank a teacher.
If you're reading this in english, thank a soldier.

Answer 11

Pretty much for the same reason that nobody wants to talk about the 16,000 who are murdered in the U.S. every year.

We're so inundated with the doom and gloom reports, daily casualty reports, the disinformation about the war and your incessant ravings, that we've become desensitized.