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Saturday, July 23, 2011

On Amy Winehouse, parents, and camp kids

The Twittersphere is burning up with news that Amy Winehouse has been found dead. According to authorities, the 27-year-old singer's death is currently "unexplained", but given her long history of drug abuse, it's hardly a surprise ending for such a tortured soul.

Timing is always a sad thing, because her passing comes in the wake of yesterday's horrific massacre in Norway. A bombing in downtown Oslo was followed almost immediately by an unimaginable shooting of schoolchildren at a summer camp.

With apologies to the family of Ms. Winehouse, whose loss is incalculable after years of skirting the ragged edge of life, but I'm choosing to focus today on the lives of children who never even had the chance to get that far in life. All they wanted to do was attend camp with their friends. Instead, they were hunted down like animals.

Some days, the world is a sad, sad place. I wish I knew how to make it a little happier.

14 comments:

  1. So true Carmi ... very sad world that we live in .. hope all is well with you and yours ((Hugs))

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  2. So sad indeed. I just don't understand how some people think.
    Murder of children is horrific. I feel the same as you.
    My symphathy lies with the parents of the precious kids more than the Winehouse family (I know thats not right but...)Kids hadn't made life choices but Amy had.

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  3. Yes, terrible. Norway and Amy Winehouse. RIP.

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  4. While it is sad she died, it was perhaps inevitable given her cavalier lifestyle.

    The loss of so many innocent young people on that small island summer camp - and in the car bomb blast in downtown Oslo, is the real tragedy of the hour. I have a friend who lives near Oslo and works there and has a sister who lives in downtown Oslo. They are safe but shaken up to no end over this. Such a waste. And for what really? :/

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  5. I have retweeted you on Twitter because everyone is talking about Amy Winehouse. But that was an expected ending to a troubled life whereas the killings in Norway came from nowhere, targeted those who had their whole (and I'd venture to say wholesome) lives ahead of them. Thank you, once again, Carmi, for your incredibly level-headed, straightforward and eloquent take on today's headlines.

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  6. Had no idea she was 27... What a tragic waste... As far as the camp where those children were- another sad commentary on what is going on w/people who have to make a statement by involving innocent lives...Seems like the world is going to hell in a handbasket..

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  7. My tragedy seems far more important to me than even those kids, sad as it is. My brother is going to be taken off life support tomorrow at 2pm. I don't know any of those other people, though my heart goes out to them, but I do know my brother. So for now, he is and will continue to be my tragedy. Closer to home.

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  8. Freda: I am so very sorry to hear about your brother. Praying for you all, and wishing you no further pain.

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  9. Unfortunately I really saw an early death in her face the few times I saw her perform...I really did.

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  10. While you can't make the world happier, you can make those around you happier... imagine if everyone did just that.

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  11. ...all we can do is cover our little space in the world around us, and if all of us gave away as much love as we could imagine all the happiness we could create...with little steps all across the world.....person by person.....spreading and catchy as a yawn ....

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  12. Couldn't agree more. Winehouse chose to self destruct. She is of minimal loss to the world compared to over 80 youngsters with their lives before them and without the privileges that Winehouse chose to abuse. Her parents have to take some of the responsibility for her actions - where were they when she started the trail of self abuse? Liking the reflected glory of her success and wealth too much, perhaps? 80+ parents sent their kids on a holiday to improve them as individuals - they are those ones I grieve for most.

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  13. The horror of this past weekend is that what should be a private grieving is now going to be very public.

    There are no levels of grief, each one who dies is mourned and the tears don't stop for a while.

    Pity the ones with no one left to mourn their passing.....

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