Couple died in house fire with three-year-old as police held back neighbours desperate to help. ??
on 03/30/2009 at 12:15 PM
The roadside memorial thing is a third-worldism. I think it comes up out of South and Central America. The rise in the number of those immigrants here was coincidental with Tony Orlando’s tune, so no, you never saw any of these before the mid-70s. And now lots of people have accepted it as normal, expected behavior.
Perhaps it’s a part of the Doctrine of Good Works that is part of their faith? But while people may be seen adding to these little memorials, none of the flowers or artifacts are labeled “These flowers laid by Maria Lopez”.
I think they placate a very very primitive urge. You throw a shiny pebble in the well to honor the local water sprite. You leave flowers and photos at one of these scenes because the tragedy that happened there somehow sanctifies the area, at least for a short while, and that sanctity is empowered by symbolic gestures. You go to the location of the event to grieve publicly with others, and we are all brought closer together as a community because of that sharing. Breaking News: the rest of the world doesn’t have that “bottle it all up inside, stiff upper lip” attitude like the Brits do. Many cultures support passionate behavior (of several kinds!!) in public.
But as long as these memorials don’t cause a fire hazard or interfere with traffic, (and some have) I guess they’re Ok. No, it’s not my way, but their way doesn’t hurt anything really.
No I’m with Peiper on this one - donate the money to a good cause rather than waste it on a bunch of crap placed at the scene. What is the point? How does it help Michelle’s (Obama) children?
The vapid uncaring ‘just following orders’ of the police in this situation is disgusting - to let children - hell two blankets and several strong men - they could have jumped (even the adults) to safety a hell of a lot faster than the fire department getting there and their ladders/catchers set up.
If I was a relative - I’d sue - for the emotional pain of knowing that people wanted to help my family but the police intervened.
What a crock - and this says so much of socialist societies - even quasi-socialist societies.
I think if I’d been there I’d be in jail right now for assaulting a policeman.
Hey, I agree Wardmama. I was jest ‘splaining it.
I think in France it’s the law that you have to help someone in distress. Hard to believe the UK isn’t that progressive.
Yes but don’t forget, there are two versions out there. One says nothing about police stopping ppl. And I haven’t seen any update in this morning’s paper but right now I only have one. Getting more later.
Drew .. as for stiff upper lip and bottle it all up. Well… not quite.
Look at the total lunacy they exhibited when Lady Di was killed in that road accident in Paris. Seemed like everyone just had to bring flowers and everyone shed copious tears.
Even kids were crying but that was only because the soppy adults were weeping.
As you said, it started rather late. So it became, “The Thing To Do.”When the wife’s mother died and she placed a notice in the local paper, she stressed and I quote.
PLEASE, No Flowers. If you’d like to remember her in some way then donate to a charity of your choosing.
03/30/2009 at 01:25 PM
