For cryin' out loud!

Okay. it's been awhile, but I have a rant at last. And no, it's not about what I got or didn't get for Christmas. Christmas was great, as a matter of fact. We are very blessed, I know that for sure. We have a wonderful loving family without any of that discordant dysfunction that seems to be so popular these days. Oh we have our moments, but what we know for sure, is that we all love each other, and are each other's greatest support system.
But I digress,as is often my habit...
On the news Christmas Day, there was a long segment about the warming temperatures and varying snow conditions. There were interviews with avalanche patrols about the critical danger levels in BC's back country with advice from the experts to stay out. I said to Bob, "you watch, in the next few days some assholes will get themselves killed." And sure enough, eight people, "experienced, fully equipped" but apparently incredibly stupid and selfish, get themselves wiped out by an avalanche in Sparwood. Not only do they impact their relations, who are left to mourn, including little children who will now grow up without their fathers, but they endanger a whole mess of other people's lives who find it their duty to find their remains. This makes me so angry. It's not enough that they pollute the serenity of the back country with their noisy, gas guzzling machinery, but then they do so when it is unsafe, ruin people's lives(besides their own) and cause a pall of sadness to fall over the human community. Boy, I hope that last trip was good for them. I am MAD at them. I can hardly watch the news, as I start spouting off, and sounding very self righteous and judgmental, which in most areas of my life, I try hard not to be.So I thought if I wrote it down, I could get over it, and feel compassion for the survivors.
Maybe someone could explain to me the draw of snowmobiling/snowshoeing/skiing that make people do it in OBVIOUS and well publicized danger. What made these people turn their backs on the warnings and do it anyways: a suicidal undertaking, as surely as if they had driven over a cliff!!! And now we are meant to feel sorry, what a tragedy that this happened, and who can we blame this time...
No my friends, This is NOT a tragedy, this was sheer unadulterated stupidity, selfish and thoughtless satisfaction of an urge with NO thought to the consequences.
WHAT in my opinion, is a tragedy, you may ask? An eight year old girl, opening the door on Christmas Eve to Santa Clause, and getting shot in the face, then witnessing Santa go on a shooting rampage and subsequently setting the house on fire, killing nine family members, and then surviving: THAT is a tragedy. Dear God, I hope this girl has a really good support system, and I hope it was not her father, who did the shooting. Because then , aside from her having to heal from her physical injuries, she would have to heal from the psychic trauma of having a father who turned out to be a maniac murderer, who them killed himself, leaving no opportunity to get explanations or answers. Could there be any, other than insanity? So sad, so tragic, so unbelievably pointless. I pray for that family, that life will ge on and that somehow, someday, forgiveness and understanding may be theirs, because only then, will they be free.
Okay, now I feel better...