Italian sunbathers and dead children

[akflightmedic]

The article is linked below with pictures.

The gist of it is this. 2 young girls drowned on a crowded beach. Their bodies were laid on the sand and covered with towels until the "mortuary police" arrive with coffins one hour later.

Everyone is upset about this photograph that shows a couple still sitting on the beach with the bodies in view. The article goes on to describe how people continued to laugh, drink, sunbathe, swim despite the bodies laying there covered.

First, evidently it is common practice in this region to wait on the coffins to arrive despite it being a public death. We all know the typical US response would be authorities securing the scene and the bodies being removed very quickly, especially in a situation where there was no foul play indicated.

But what gets me is the upset over the fact that people continued to have a good day, or at elast tried. I agree with them. What would have been proper behavior? To leave the beach and ruin your outing? To go mourn over the bodies? What exactly did they want these people to do?

It seems like a lot of shock and outrage over something trivial. The kids drowned, very sad indeed but should that take away from your day? Would you completely change your plans because soomeone died? Rest assured the thought would not be far from my mind, I would have a moment or two of inner reflection, however I would not change anything about my planned events.

Oh well....let me know what you think.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/0...html?eref=yahoo

[Just Plain Ruff]

they are making a mountain out of a molehill. They are dead, they cannot get any deader. So what's the issue?

[medic109]

To understand the issue of "outrage" Roma is an Italian term for an ethnic group usually referred to as "gypsies" in this country. Even before the formation of EU there was always friction and sometimes outright discrimination of the Roma. Most of these people are itinerant "travelers" from Eastern Europe predominantly Romania & Hungary having been exterminated from the rest of Europe during WWII. Having trained in Italy, I am familiar with what is referred to as the mortuary police, they function the same as medical examiners in this country. Therefore bodies of trauma or sudden death in pulic ( but covered) is not unusual. What is unusual is that they removed the decease within and hour a feat often impossible to achieve in this country. The outrage is more a groups ("media" & church) using an unfortunate situation to push their social agendas

[Lone Star]

I think that society in general has carried this 'you have to feel this, when ____________ happens'.

While the deaths are tragic for the family, why should everyone else's world come to a screeching halt?

This whole 'emotional display' shit is just that!

A prime example of this 'overactive emotional displays' would be when Dale Earnhardt died from crashing into a concrete wall at 185 mph. A friend of mine called me up the next day (IN TEARS!), asking me if I had "heard the news". Since I knew his mother, I thought something had happened to her, by the way he was carrying on....

When I found out he was crying over Dale Earnhardt, I lost all semblance of 'cool' and proceeded to tell him that while that death was tragic for the Earnhardt family, it wasn't about to phase me...(I don't even watch NASCAR!)

Three days later, same friend, (again in tears) called me up, wanting to know if I was watching the funeral on television.

I can understand the tears, the melancholy attitude, etc if you knew them personally......but for the average person on the beach (in the case from the original post), or just another NASCAR freak in the stands (in the Earnhardt story), there doesn't need to be the wailing, sobbing, rending of clothing or shaking your fist at God, demanding to know why He took that person!

Let's get a grip people! Not everything in life needs to be treated as an 'emotionally traumatic event'!

To those that knew the girls, or were part of their families, My condolences for your loss.

For everyone else at the beach, pass me a beer, and don't forget the sunscreen!

[Kaisu]

I guess it depends on the individual as much as anything else. If I saw the bodies of two young girls laid out on the beach it would definitely ruin my day. I would be sad and pensive.. and I sure wouldn't stay on the beach... but I would not presume to judge how others behave or react.

[Michael]

I would not presume to judge how others behave or react

Oh? Why's that? What's wrong with you, anyway? :wink:

Covering the feet would have helped, though.

[CBEMT]

I think the point of those expressing outrage is that if the girls hadn't been Gypsies, there would have been a much different reaction on the part of the beachgoers. But Gypsies seem to be considered a lower form of life in Italy.

[Kaisu]

I think the point of those expressing outrage is that if the girls hadn't been Gypsies, there would have been a much different reaction on the part of the beachgoers. But Gypsies seem to be considered a lower form of life in Italy.

And not just in Italy - I found that to be true through most of Europe, even in Scandinavia. Most people don't know it, but the Nazis exterminated huge numbers of Europe's gypsies. These people have a long history of persecution. I am sure that you are right - that the reaction would have been very different if the victims were not Gypsies.

[firedoc5]

I know, different cultures, different societies, etc. But what about "respect" for the dead. If society dictates that it's alright to let them lie in public, even though covered, I personally wouldn't be carousing and carrying on until they were moved, just out of respect for them. I know, it sounds corny, but....People could have waited a few minutes or a couple of hours for them. If they thought they just had to play on they could have considered to go down the beach or something. IMHO

[akflightmedic]

Respect for the dead?? Which is exactly what I asked in my post. Are they supposed to mourn and act differently or I am a callous hard ass who sees no such disrespect going on?

I always thought being respectful of the dead would be going on about your life. It is a body, it has ceased living. Do we need to make it more complicated than that?

As I said earlier, yes it would cause a moment of inner reflection, empathy for whatever family members will no longer enjoy their flesh and blood presence, but other than that...what more do you want?

I should move my camp further down the beach? What if it was very crowded or that was the best spot? What if I had planned going to the beach for weeks, finally managed to get the time off to enjoy with whomever I choose and then this happens.

As a human and out of respect I should put all that aside and incovienence myself, even if the thought of dead children laying next to me on the beach does not disturb me, as I am ok with the circle of life and have no personal issues over death or dead bodies?

Are your beliefs more correct than mine in saying it is disrespectful to stay on site?

Just curious....