Of course, it is shocking, wrong, bad or just plain sad. Politicians keep telling that we are all deeply shocked and share the sorrow. But please let's be honest… 10 minutes later you are entertaining yourself again with friends, family, a beer, computergames, porn websites or whatever you like. And don't be ashamed for that. If we had to truly mourn for every horrific event, we would spend our entire lives crying, 24 hours each and every day.
Nevertheless, once in a while the news can still grab and leave you with a bad feeling the rest of the day. September 11th, the Tsunami or Haïti for example. Or how about Micheal Jackson? Who cares about those 100 guys that died in a fire somewhere, Micheal is dead! And suddenly everyone loves him again, including myself. As for the “closer to my bed” Dutch events, I can still remember the news bombing me about the murder on Pim Fortuyn, Theo van Gogh (not the painting guy), the newyear fire in a bar in Volendam, or the exploding fireworks factory in Enschede. And recently we had the sad news about Milly Boele. When they reported this 12 year old girl as missing, your guts already know what kind of news will follow. Still, the confirmation of her death one week later, made me angry and sick for that day. Especially when looking at my own daughter.
As for today, 10 April 2010, another black page was written in the already dark history of Poland. The polish president, Lech Kaczynski, died in an airplane crash this morning. But not just Kaczynski, also his wife Maria, several generals, half of the polish parliament, bishops, and other highly placed people. Well, planes do crash sometimes unfortunately, but to make it even more bitter, it happened in the forests of Katyn. Not the first time the Katyn soil tastes Polish blood…
Ironically enough, the souls of ~20.000 polish rest here. Also politicians, officers, professors, lawyers and other highly placed people. Like the people on board of the Tupolev TU 154, these polish didn't die naturally either. They were taken arrested and murdered by the Russians in 1940. As you can guess by now, the plane was on its way to the yearly memorial at Katyn. Seems this doomed place will get a second monument now.
I'm not polish, but my sad, shocked and polish girlfriend is sitting right next to me. Following the news that keeps showing name lists, mourning people, sad music, flags half-mast, youth pictures of the president, children of the victims. Pfff, even the news woman didn't manage to hold her tears. So... I'm feeling with my girlfiend. I just can’t help imagining how the last seconds/minutes of those people would have been (which is generally the reason I hate flying anyway) and how their families will receive the “remains” of their beloved ones.
I just wish the best for the family and children of the fallen ones. And let's hope this political gap will soon be filled by proper people. Poland had enough bad luck last 70 years. Getting squeezed between Germany and Russia, this Europe country has always been forgotten for some reason. They protected us from the Ottoman invasion long ago, and more recently their brave soldiers took part of WOII, helping to free us. Nevertheless Poland never really got excuses from their friendly neighbours, neither credits for their offers in WO II, nor Western help while Solidarność fought back to their Communistic rulers. And now when this nation is finally crawling up again, half their political leaders die. In a Russian airplane for Pete's sake. Like my girl always sais with her Commie accent, "life ies brutal".
Lech in his earlier years as an actor in a Polish movie, together with his twin brother.
Katyn & some more Polish history lessons:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyn_massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_(1945%E2%80%931989)
Tomorrow there will be gaming news again, as supposed on this game blog. If my hangover isn’t too big that is. Yes, hypocritical as I am, there is booze to drink tonight. Having a party from my work.
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