Iraqi kids blown apart
Car bomber hits children getting candy from G.I.s
By DEREK ROSE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Children’s mangled, bloody bodies lined a Baghdad street yesterday after a suicide attacker drove his bomb-laden car into a crowd of kids getting candy from U.S. troops.Tiny plastic sandals, some stained with blood, lay in a pile near a crushed children’s bicycle beside the blast crater.
As many as 27 people were killed, including a dozen children, six teenagers and a U.S. soldier.
Attacking children makes no sense and doesn’t advance anyone’s cause. The act defies all logic. Children are innocents not even old enough to understand their place in the world. What was the Iraqi bomber thinking? MommyCool.com notes, “If there were piles of shiny, golden coins worth millions and billions of dollars, would a suicide bomber stop his mission on the street to gaze at the potential of the loot? He could use the gold to buy many pleasures. He would not have to be a suicide bomber.” Instead, children are dead and now families are suffering.
Derek, several questions, all serious, not mocking.
What is the difference between children and teenagers? Is there an arbitrary age at which you’re required to use each term? Or was there some other reason for the choice?
Why did you use the word “insurgents” in the article instead of “terrorists”? Is that a requirement as part of your style guide? Slip of the pen? Deliberate choice?
I forgot to add, I commend you for reporting this. Some outlets left out the fact that children had died.
I don’t think there’s any real definition for what constitutes a child. I mean, sure, anyone under 18 might reasonably be called a child. But I figured it would be clear from the context that I was drawing a distinction between kids 12 and under, and teenagers.
This was clearly an act of terrorism. But since the word “terrorist” was used in Goemaere’s quote, in the following paragraph I opted for the word “insurgent” instead. That’s just kind of a writing rule, it’s good to change your nouns a bit, mix things up, rather than just keep repeating the same word. So it was a deliberate choice, but there was no politics behind it.
antimedia … go away … you’re fine tooth comb is filled with nits …
Thanks, Derek. For both answers. I wondered about them only because you and I have developed a relationship, and I have grown to respect you and your work (but not always agree with you.)
I particularly understand your explanation of the use of the word insurgent. I too am very careful not to reuse words when writing.
Just for the record, I didn’t suspect there was any politics behind either choice. I was merely wondering what the style considerations were, and you answered those completely.
I appreciate it.
Why is the hot word insurgent. These are filthy murderous scum. Terrorist or guerilla fighters. They aRE cowards & the sunni triangle should be annialated. If we took out the suni triangle like lets say berlin was taken then the rebellion would be over. I am sick of the American dead. We should fight this war like ww2. You can’t beat a enemy in a war of attrition on their home field. unfortunatley we have to kill alot of sunnis to stop this crap. It sucks but it has to be done. I mean these scum bags kill children w/ no regrets
[I just deleted five all-capital ranting comments in a row from a “marcus” just now. (e.g., “WHERE WILL YOU END UP WHEN ALL HELL BRAKE LOOSE?????????????”)
[Marcus I welcome dissenting views here, even ones in an angry tone. But this is a forum for civil debate, and if you try to hog the mike by leaving five comments in a row, it will be turned off. And please don’t leave all-capital comments, it is annoying.
[Marcus if you want to say something more thoughtful, you can try resubmitting your comments. But everything from your IP address is going to be held in a moderation queue for my approval until it’s clear you can express yourself like an adult human being.]