There is nothing worse than watching the talking heads getting all in frenzy as a new meme, a luscious meme that will last for months, nay years, is graciously planted at their feet. Before they can go full tilt though, they need a goat. Any goat will do really, but they need a goat to parade before us all as the focal point for our anger, outrage and resignation. Mostly because a goat can be easily packaged, and its red meat spread so evenly around for all those who care to join in the media feast.
So as the MSM ponders exactly which goat they will pen the Virginia Tech tragedy on, be it gun laws, video games or the America's old stand-by of xenophobia, the world watches. While America make the logical leap of a tragedy at home in reference to the tragedies we incur abroad? Highly doubtful, because America is never wrong. This is why we have goats.
Will America's cognitive cultural development be advanced by this tragedy, as we all realize that horrific events happen daily around the world to other societies? Or will we hide behind our goat, once again proving to the Earth that we value American human life over that of "those people" outside our border? Depends on the goat, really.
Sure we can blame video games, or gun laws, or foreign nationals, or violence in our culture, or some issue that will astound us all. But the goat is needed, because in America, it is always someone else's fault, and never society's.
So as of writing this, I am sure they are fluffing up the goat in pre-packaged video news format for assimilation, and the masses while finally have a fixed focal point into which to voice their angst. Supposed lessons will be learned, and the healing will begin, and I sure there will be parade of politicos showing off their compassionate side.
I just hope America takes a moment to ponder in their mourning, at the loss we feel on such a day, then develop a sense of self that we can apply globally in the way our society truly acts. Because as the globe sees it now, 33 Americans are worth more cultural grief than hundred of thousands of Iraqis, not to mention the halls of horror in Africa, of which we barely speak a peep.
But that is okay, because America always hides behind the goat. And don't worry, it will be trotted out soon.