holy crap.
as JMM points out, this happens several times every day to families around the country (not to mention countless families in iraq). but somehow when you've heard of the guy it makes the matter seem even more tragic. it doesn't really make sense. every death should be an equal tragedy, but on a day-to-day basis it doesn't strike me that way. i see lists of the dead every day. i skim over them, but they're just names to me. i don't reflect on the fact that each name is a live cut short, or the network of family and friends that are also casualties along with every casualty.
while reading last sunday's nytimes magazine piece about iraqi refugees, i kept thinking that i'll never fully comprehend the magnitude of the iraq war disaster. i don't think anyone can.
