- by Alan Adaschik

We stare at our televisions in horror and disbelief at the destruction and death caused by the recent tsunamis in the Indian ocean and rightfully so. When over 100,000 people die in a natural disaster, only the most hardened and uncaring would not be moved by such a tragedy. Indeed, the outpouring of sympathy and assistance from the rest of the world is testimony that people care and will go to great lengths to help each other in times of need.

We also stare at our televisions and watch our war unfolding in Iraq. Over 100,000 people have died there also, but what is our reaction to this tragedy; certainly not horror and disbelief? No, we are used to death by war and view these deaths as justified and necessary despite the fact that most of those killed were just as innocent and just as blameless as those who lives were snuffed out by the forces of nature.

We truly are strange animals. We feel great sorrow when our kind dies by accident and are indifferent when people die because of ignorance and stupidity. We view the twisted and broken bodies of those killed by tidal waves and fault God for letting such a tragedy happen. We then look to Iraq and ask God to bless our actions even though they result in the same twisted and broken bodies; never stopping to think that by so petitioning we make an idiot of God.