Chrisonomicon

Saturday, February 1, 2003

I was too young to remember that morning in 1986, so often referred to on the news today, but as similar as the events are in tragedy, in technology, in (presumed) circumstance, and in the repeated visuals — divisory white lines sliced terribly, gracefully, through forever-blue skies — I would keep in their sacred box old memories and reflect upon, bear the weight of, this event on its own accord, know their stories as they fell from the sky (those who've passed before have had their moment and using this event as a reason for rememberence only serves to overshadow this event, these lives), harbor out of respect economic and political speculation, and restrain from diving in on the innards of the tragedy like surgical vultures, at least for the briefest respite. We owe great people this much.

Update: An article on the life of Indian astronaut, Kalpana Chawla (while India mourns her death); a pre-flight article on Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon; comprehensive Metafilter comments on the crew (1 and 2 ); also, interviews with family members shed light on crew members. So very sad. And yet, sadder still is the crash of a train in Zimbabwe this morning that killed 40 and leaves hundreds wounded, further illustrating the sheer weight of broadcast media coverage as tragedies of the world fall underfoot. I often question which is the deadlier train.