|
Tommyt-
"you should let the families of these people grieve " How on earth do you conclude that anything that anyone says or does here, in any way affects whether those families can be, will be, or are greiving? Or perhaps, celibrating? Yes, I know folks who would say "Thank God Uncle Bob finally killed himself without talking anyone else with him!"
"and stop sounding like anyone that does something you don't like is wrong."
Ah, turning two boats and multiple lives into a pile of dead trash IS wrong. It's not just what I consider wrong, it is what most societies and most humans consider wrong. It is wrong by all societal norms. No society accepts "Ooopsie!" as a good thing when a captain is saying it and there's a stiff price being paid.
"There guys are pros. Someone made a mistake." Actually, what you are looking at indicates they were not pros. Sure, it is possible that there was a mechanical failure and this was no one's fault. And if that's announced, I for one will accept it with the same heartless equanimity that I accept the apparent macho accident as being just another accident.
Even in basic defensive driving classes, and pilot training, and many other areas, you are taught that you have a perimeter, an impact zone, an action zone, and that as the "pilot" you must be aware of anything entering your zone--and take active steps to ensure you cannot impact it, or it you.
When you're moving at 100mph with no brakes, no shields, and you are within impact range of another missile moving at the same speed...You've already committed hubris simply by remaining in that exposed position without needing to be there. You're taking on more risk than is needed. Unless you're transferring vital goods between PT boats during a combat run, and these guys weren't. At 100mph you are crossing some 150 feet PER SECOND and that means if you are within 150 feet of something, all it takes is one BLINK and you've hit it. Two boats moving at that speed? That's right, you can hit each other head-on from opposite ends of a football field--in just a second.
I'm all for their freedom to go out and kill themselves, I just find it upsetting that they can also kill anyone else within sight, without restriction. So while we may debate licensing and freedoms...I won't mourn them until and unless I find out there's more here than has been reported. (As there often is.)
The price of their fuel for their afternoon run probably could have fed a thousand kids in the Sudan for a full year. Better to save the tears for the kids, who just happened to be born in the wrong place and time, than the folks who should have known better.
|