Crosswords4 mins ago
9/11 - Time To Make Light Of It?
Answers
First off - it is too soon to try and 'make light' of a tragedy like this,but it begs the question, why would you want to 'make light' of it in the first place? ""The idea was to depict a modern-day horror that happened in our lifetime and was not intended as a joke." //" If it's not intended as a joke, why put on these constumes for a fancy dress party? By definition -...
11:22 Wed 06th Nov 2013
In terms of relative suffering caused by this tragedy, the line "my twelfth birthday (and 13th, 14th etc.) was ruined" probably comes fairly low on the list. But still, the horrifying images are seared on my head forever. You know something? I'd kind of like to be able to forget the horror, just for a bit. I'm almost more bothered by the picture of the actual attack -- yet again reminding me of the truth -- than by the girls standing next to it in a fairly creative rendering of it.
naomi, I didn't actually mean to say noticed - I meant "objected" but miscopied it from ludwig's post. Clearly it was noticed, as it/they won first prize.
How it got into the papers is anybody's guess. It could for instance have been sold by someone who knew what the Sun would pay money for, as I suggested; it could have been a casual comment by someone who had no personal objection; maybe someone's phone was hacked.
How it got into the papers is anybody's guess. It could for instance have been sold by someone who knew what the Sun would pay money for, as I suggested; it could have been a casual comment by someone who had no personal objection; maybe someone's phone was hacked.
Gromit:
"You do not know these girls, yet you are calling them liars?"
Yes.
There are loads and loads of people I've never met whom I think are lying at some point.
They said it wasn't meant to be funny.
So exactly what reaction did they expect? In a nightclub full of drunk students? Thoughtful debate on global geo-politics?
All Halloween party costumes are supposed to be funny. It's the whole point of Halloween.
"You do not know these girls, yet you are calling them liars?"
Yes.
There are loads and loads of people I've never met whom I think are lying at some point.
They said it wasn't meant to be funny.
So exactly what reaction did they expect? In a nightclub full of drunk students? Thoughtful debate on global geo-politics?
All Halloween party costumes are supposed to be funny. It's the whole point of Halloween.
//but it's ridiculous to expect nobody to object or comment on it //
// why? In fact it doesn't appear anyone did notice or comment until the tabloids got wind of it. Then you get US newspapers blathering about what someone wore to a party in Chester. Now that is ridiculous. //
I'm talking in more general terms than this specific story - everyone can be as offensive as they like about anything, but they can't expect everyone else to be happy about it and pass no comment.
In this case I'm only giving my opinion because I've been invited to by the OP. If I'd come across the story randomly I probably would have just thought 'blimey, look at that pair of tasteless idiots', and then paid it no more heed.
// why? In fact it doesn't appear anyone did notice or comment until the tabloids got wind of it. Then you get US newspapers blathering about what someone wore to a party in Chester. Now that is ridiculous. //
I'm talking in more general terms than this specific story - everyone can be as offensive as they like about anything, but they can't expect everyone else to be happy about it and pass no comment.
In this case I'm only giving my opinion because I've been invited to by the OP. If I'd come across the story randomly I probably would have just thought 'blimey, look at that pair of tasteless idiots', and then paid it no more heed.
sp1814 - I see we are at one with the annoyance at the attempts by these students to avoid the embarassment of being seen as crass and insensitive, by trying to spin their stunt as some kind of esoteric artistic statement against the horrors of terrorism.
I find that mealy-mouthed wriggling every bit as offensive as the notion of going to a party dressed as a world-shattering tragedy.
I find that mealy-mouthed wriggling every bit as offensive as the notion of going to a party dressed as a world-shattering tragedy.
ludwig
You have a point with:
"If I'd come across the story randomly I probably would have just thought 'blimey, look at that pair of tasteless idiots', and then paid it no more heed."
That's exactly my reaction to the story, and then I wondered..."Is it too soon? I wonder what others think?"
Personally, I don't feel connected to 9/11 enough to feel offended by the costumes, but I could imagine them causing quite a lot of distress to others.
You have a point with:
"If I'd come across the story randomly I probably would have just thought 'blimey, look at that pair of tasteless idiots', and then paid it no more heed."
That's exactly my reaction to the story, and then I wondered..."Is it too soon? I wonder what others think?"
Personally, I don't feel connected to 9/11 enough to feel offended by the costumes, but I could imagine them causing quite a lot of distress to others.
// ludwig
One of the girls' father is an airline pilot in the US. I doubt planes crashing into buildings is a joke to her. It is an horrifying image, which is why they chose it for a horror themed contest. //
Yeah, I'm sure they had all that worthy sounding stuff in mind as they were knocking back the Bacardi Breezers and twerking away to some phat party beats. LOL.
One of the girls' father is an airline pilot in the US. I doubt planes crashing into buildings is a joke to her. It is an horrifying image, which is why they chose it for a horror themed contest. //
Yeah, I'm sure they had all that worthy sounding stuff in mind as they were knocking back the Bacardi Breezers and twerking away to some phat party beats. LOL.
Gromit - "One of the girls' father is an airline pilot in the US. I doubt planes crashing into buildings is a joke to her."
Strange, the rest of the world thought planes crashing into buildings was the best laugh they had had since the liberation of Auchwitz!!
Are you going to get off this defence line now, it is getting beyond silly.
Strange, the rest of the world thought planes crashing into buildings was the best laugh they had had since the liberation of Auchwitz!!
Are you going to get off this defence line now, it is getting beyond silly.
or maybe someone was so disgusted by it
that's possible - but if that were the case I'd expect them to have told the Sun so, and the Sun to have printed it. Tabloids never miss an opportunity to quote people on their disgust and fury. I don't have access to the Murdoch website so I can't say if this happened. I do note that the BBC website quotes one man as saying it was the most disgusting behaviour he'd ever seen - not a student, presumably.
that's possible - but if that were the case I'd expect them to have told the Sun so, and the Sun to have printed it. Tabloids never miss an opportunity to quote people on their disgust and fury. I don't have access to the Murdoch website so I can't say if this happened. I do note that the BBC website quotes one man as saying it was the most disgusting behaviour he'd ever seen - not a student, presumably.
Gromit/andy_hughes
I've just realised something that might bridge the gap between your points of view...
The girls are reported as saying that they intended to depict a "serious, modern-day horror".
They weren't actually claiming anything else...so in that respect, they were being quite honest. They indeed depict a modern day horror.
In fact, I'm now wondering whether this may have been the theme of the party (especially as a Jimmy Saville-costumed reveller came second)??
I've just realised something that might bridge the gap between your points of view...
The girls are reported as saying that they intended to depict a "serious, modern-day horror".
They weren't actually claiming anything else...so in that respect, they were being quite honest. They indeed depict a modern day horror.
In fact, I'm now wondering whether this may have been the theme of the party (especially as a Jimmy Saville-costumed reveller came second)??
sp1814 - a nice try, but I honestly think that this explanation is utterly bogus.
A fancy dress party is just that - the clue is in the name.
People get dressed up, have some drinks, and admire (or in this case are aghast at!) other peoples' costumes.
To try and suggest that this was some deep and meaningful humanitarian piece of thought-provoking art installation is frankly so farcical I am laughing as I type.
Like I have said beforfe - i can go with being highlighted for being a couple of mindless twonks with candyfloss for brains (based on this behaviour of course) but let's not try and justify it as being something it patently was not.
People don't go to student parties in night clubs to have their wider thought processes stimulated, so let's get off this nonsense before it gets totally out of hand.
A fancy dress party is just that - the clue is in the name.
People get dressed up, have some drinks, and admire (or in this case are aghast at!) other peoples' costumes.
To try and suggest that this was some deep and meaningful humanitarian piece of thought-provoking art installation is frankly so farcical I am laughing as I type.
Like I have said beforfe - i can go with being highlighted for being a couple of mindless twonks with candyfloss for brains (based on this behaviour of course) but let's not try and justify it as being something it patently was not.
People don't go to student parties in night clubs to have their wider thought processes stimulated, so let's get off this nonsense before it gets totally out of hand.
naomi - I am inclined to agree with this return to the point.
Where as a society have we come to the conculsion that anything and everything can be a subject for levity and laughter?
Not seeing an event like 9/11 as being unfunny is not the same as lacking a sense of humour - and that is something that people need to grasp.
Some things were, are, and always will be exempt from being subject to a humourous slant.
Where as a society have we come to the conculsion that anything and everything can be a subject for levity and laughter?
Not seeing an event like 9/11 as being unfunny is not the same as lacking a sense of humour - and that is something that people need to grasp.
Some things were, are, and always will be exempt from being subject to a humourous slant.
//anything and everything can be a subject for levity and laughter? //
I think it can
There are funny jokes about The Holocaust
Some of them will have been told by camp and ghetto inmates while it was happening
I don't see why there shouldn't be 'levity and laughter' regarding 9/11
What we seem to be agreeing on is that dressing as the Twin Towers for a fancy dress party isn't it!
I think it can
There are funny jokes about The Holocaust
Some of them will have been told by camp and ghetto inmates while it was happening
I don't see why there shouldn't be 'levity and laughter' regarding 9/11
What we seem to be agreeing on is that dressing as the Twin Towers for a fancy dress party isn't it!
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