More tragic?

By now everyone has seen the news about the CBS reporters who were killed in Iraq. I don't recall what it was but something on the NPR reporting of it this morning pissed me off. About how dangerous it was.

Hello!, it's a war zone? What did you think was going on there? Did you think your "Press" flak jacket would miracuously render you immune to bomb blasts and shrapnel? That the insurgents would care if they shot at a journalist? (actually I would think they might target journalists for the added publicity)

I think I recall what it was that pissed me off, comparisons between how dangerous reporting is now in Iraq compaired to Vietnam. This comparison is just as pointless, just as stupid and just as wildly inaccurate as any of the other comparisons between the two conflicts.

Granted it's tragic and I mourn for the fallen and their families. But ... well I could go on but I suspect that will just piss me off more. Going to that place where I was when I heard about how "tragic" it was when Christa MacAullif died in the Challenger accident (more tragic than any of the rest of them? just because she was a teacher? a civilian? she volunteered for that shit too!).

If you're worried about how dangerous your job is (when you're job involves a war zone) then perhaps you should change careers! You volunteered for this, just like the troops did. And when you get injured it's just as tragic. But hell, you had helmets, flak jackets and eye protection. I'd bet that none of the six civilians injured in that blast had any of that gear.