Monday, April 18, 2005
Paging Charles Darwin ...
The death of twenty-eight year old Marla Ruzicka was poetic irony masquerading as tragedy. Ruzicka co-founded CIVIC ("Campaign for Innocent Victims In Conflict"), a grass-roots organization designed to guilt-trip the U.S. military into cash payments for their collateral damage (and any other damage that may occur) in Iraq. Alas, no one is likely to compensate Ruzicka's family and friends for their loss. According to Phillip Robertson at Salon.com:
In Iraq on Saturday afternoon, around 3 p.m., a suicide bomber entered Baghdad Airport road, heading east. On the same stretch was a U.S. military convoy, an Australian security detachment, and a car that carried U.S. aid worker Marla Ruzicka and her colleague Faiz Ali Salim. When the bomber detonated his explosives, Marla and Faiz were among those killed, and with that terrible act, the bomber cut short the life of a tireless champion of the victims of the war.
You may have to reread this passage to understand that Ruzicka was murdered in a terrorist attack, by a suicide bomber who most likely shared the peace activist's views with respect to America's presence in Iraq. The bomber, however, did not agree with her conviction that human life is important and ought to be valued. In the end, the peace activist died with the suicide bomber.
One can weep for the slain Ruzicka, yet acknowledge her folly: She chose the wrong side in the War on Terror, and paid the ultimate price. Her sad death should remind us that terrorism cannot be overcome with peace signs and patchouli.
The death of twenty-eight year old Marla Ruzicka was poetic irony masquerading as tragedy. Ruzicka co-founded CIVIC ("Campaign for Innocent Victims In Conflict"), a grass-roots organization designed to guilt-trip the U.S. military into cash payments for their collateral damage (and any other damage that may occur) in Iraq. Alas, no one is likely to compensate Ruzicka's family and friends for their loss. According to Phillip Robertson at Salon.com:
In Iraq on Saturday afternoon, around 3 p.m., a suicide bomber entered Baghdad Airport road, heading east. On the same stretch was a U.S. military convoy, an Australian security detachment, and a car that carried U.S. aid worker Marla Ruzicka and her colleague Faiz Ali Salim. When the bomber detonated his explosives, Marla and Faiz were among those killed, and with that terrible act, the bomber cut short the life of a tireless champion of the victims of the war.
You may have to reread this passage to understand that Ruzicka was murdered in a terrorist attack, by a suicide bomber who most likely shared the peace activist's views with respect to America's presence in Iraq. The bomber, however, did not agree with her conviction that human life is important and ought to be valued. In the end, the peace activist died with the suicide bomber.
One can weep for the slain Ruzicka, yet acknowledge her folly: She chose the wrong side in the War on Terror, and paid the ultimate price. Her sad death should remind us that terrorism cannot be overcome with peace signs and patchouli.
# posted by Tim : 6:41:00 PM
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