Odd one out

As I read the newspaper this evening, I couldn't help but burst out laughing, in spite of the very tragic piece of news. Something about the editing of this page, and placing one particular article on it - just seemed wrong.

The following are headlines and first sentences of articles on ONE PAGE in the Washington Post:

• "More than 20 Iraqis, 3 U.S. Troops Killed."
• "Torture Persists in Iraqi Prisons, Officials Say"
• "Afghan security forces surrounded Taliban fighters hiding in a village..At least three of the fighters and a police officer were killed."
• "Tensions between the Hamas-led government and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction flared into a shootout"
• "Iran said its nuclear program is irreversible."
• "At least three Somalis were killed and nine wounded as clashes erupted between rival militias"

and....

[wait for it...]

• "A group of chimpanzees attacked and killed a Sierra Leonean driver and injured two American visitors and a Canadian at a wildlife sanctuary..."

My husband's reaction to this piece of news: "Well yeah! Chimpanzees, terrorists. They're all the same!"

Ok, yes, I do realise this is very sad and tragic, and I'm truly sorry to hear about this horrific killing, but honestly, my dear precious newspaper editor, were you just trying to place all articles with the keyword "killing" in one page for the shock value? So why not place the ads for termite extermination on this page? I just feel sorry for the Chimpanzees. Poor misunderstood creatures. They try to make a statement about their confinement in a sanctuary, they try and make the news, they go and kill, only to be outdone by humans doing the same.


Admittedly there was one more "odd one out" article on this page, but not to worry the keyword was faithfully maintained.

• "Brussels - About 80,000 demonstrators walked silently through the Belgian capital to protest..."

[OK, any guesses? What would EIGHTY THOUSAND demonstrators in Belgium protest? Wild guesses accepted. Religion? Politics? War? Taxes? Environment? Elections? Don't worry, my husband didn't guess right either and he opted for "chocolate." So here it is, the full piece of news from the same page-full of news:]

• Brussels - About 80,000 demonstrators walked silently through the Belgian capital to protest the killing of a teenager who refused to give his digital music player to two young robbers at a Brussels train station.

EIGHTY....THOUSAND demonstrators! EIGHTY *&%^ing THOUSAND demonstrators to protest against a couple of robbers and killers who belong in jail. Oh.my.god! If we could get eighty thousand people in the US to protest against every two robbers/killers - wow, we could have a crime free country! Eighty thousand people!!! Where do you find eighty thousand people in the USA who'd care??? My husband claims it'd be 80,000 criminals protesting.

Ok, enough of the bad news from this one page, here's a more enlightening piece of news (yes, from that same exact page. Page A12 of the Washington Post, Monday, April 24, 2006):

• Rome - "The Vatican will soon publish a statement on the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS."

On that note, let us all pray for less killing around the world and more sex.