GREIF GROUPIES

5 DEAD AFTER A BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN MINNESOTA, 2007
60 DECOMPOSED CORPSES OF IRAQIS, 2007
300 VICTIMS OF FLOOD IN SOUTH ASIA, 2007
7,000 SOLDIERS LOST TAKING IWO JIMA IN 1945 IN WORLD WAR II.

WE HAVE BECOME A NATION OF 'GRIEF GROUPIES,' MOURNERS WITHOUT ANY PERSONAL ATTACHMENT TO THE AGGRIEVED IN A SITUATION EXCEPT THROUGH A TENUOUS, ARTIFICIAL AND MAUDLIN BOND TO THE DECEASED - LIKE THE BOND OF IDOL WORSHIP - THAT VALIDATES THEM FOR THEIR CACHE OF CARING. THOSE WHO BENEFIT MOST FROM TODAY’S 'GRIEF GROUPIES' ARE THE UNFORTUNATE FEW, NOT THE UNFORTUNATE MANY. THIS SYNDROME WAS FIRST EXHIBITED AFTER THE DEATH THE PRINCESS DIANA IN ENGLAND ABOUT A DECADE AGO. SINCE THEN MEDIA AND POLITICIANS PANDER AND PROMOTE IT. MEMORIAL GIFTS, FLOWERS, CEREMONIES AND SENTIMENTS ARE NOT ONLY APPROVED BUT ENCOURAGED. EVEN OUR PRESIDENT, GEORGE W. BUSH AND FIRST LADY LAURA ARE REQUIRED TO PUT IN AN APPEARANCE AT THE SCENE OF EVERY MINOR LOSS OF LIFE. REGARDING THE TRAGEDY AT THE BRIDGE, A 'GRIEF GROUPIE' SAID, "THE HEROES HERE ARE LIKE TEARS, THERE ARE MANY." WHO ARE THESE HEROES?

A TRUE HERO IS A PERSON DISTINGUISHED FOR VALOR, FORTITUDE OR BOLD ENTERPRISE; ANYONE REGARDED AS HAVING DISPLAYED GREAT COURAGE OR EXCEPTIONALLY NOBLE QUALITIES. ASK THE ANCIENT GREEKS WHO UNDERSTOOD 'TIME', WHETHER CITIZENS DOING THEIR DUTY AS RESCUERS OR CITIZENS AT A WRONG PLACE AT A WRONG TIME IMMEDIATELY QUALIFY AS HEROES.

THE SAME INSIDIOUS PARASITE THAT EATS AWAY AT COMMON SENSE, RESTRAINT AND PERSPECTIVE CORRUPTS THE THOUGHT OF AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN WHO SAID, " MY GENOMIC INFORMATION HAS A MUCH RICHER TEXTURE WHEN I KNOW THE CULTURAL UNDERTONES." WHAT DO WE THANK FOR THE 'GRIEF GROUPIE' SYNDROME? NARCISSISM.