A Few Things

First, let me offer my prayers and condolences to the families and friends of those harmed at Virginia Tech today. I remember vividly the day Columbine happened, and, as my colleague Mr. Ghost pointed out, the death toll today was nearly three times as large, which is simply mind-boggling.

Also mind-boggling is how quickly people of all political stripes began trying to use this for their pro- or anti- gun control views. I'm sure there's a debate to be had, but please, can we let the bodies be counted first?

I also want to make a quick observation on the blogs vs conventional media argument. Basically, everyone is biased and objectivity is an illusion, but the honest bias of most blogs is much less insidious and much easier to cope with than the thoroughly hidden bias of professional reporters and the commercial entities they represent. Blogs allow you to get a view of a subject that's incredibly more sophisticated than the one you would get from simply relying on the Inquirer or CNN, as long as you're willing to check different sources and read between the lines. If you're any good at deciphering rhetoric and you don't mind doing a little work for your news, blogs are by far the best way to get informed about both facts and opinions. Of course, that doesn't count for breaking news such as today's tragedy, where cameras and reporters on site are necessary.

Another fellow stain of mine, Mr. Cumstein, posted about the failure of Congress to support the Constitution, linking to an article about AIPAC. While there is much to be said about the pro-Israel lobby, there are more pressing matters in my opinion. Torture, extraordinary rendition, the endangered status of habeas corpus, illegal wiretapping, politicization of government offices, and radical expansion of executive powers are just a few off the top of my head. Oh yeah: war by choice, based on lies, with no definition of victory and no plan for withdrawal ever - that's another one.

Here's an article, via Glenn Greenwald, by Charlie Savage, the guy who just won the Pulitzer for Journalism. It's about Cheney's view that the oval office ought to have a throne in it, and if it doesn't scare you about how much rebuilding of our government needs to be done then nothing will.

Finally, via Andrew Sullivan, here's a little blog post about a rowing competition in Baghdad that would be funny if it wasn't sad.