Losing Count Means Losing Humanity

I can't say it any better than Diane does in this sobering diary.

We memorialize the names and faces of our dead to remind us that every one of them was an individual just like us, who valued his or her life no less than we do, and whose death is a tragedy for those left behind no less than ours would be for our loved ones. Recognizing our shared humanity brings home to us the size of the tragedy in every single life lost, and - ideally - teaches us that in a real "culture of life" the decision to go to war is never taken lightly. As Israeli Knesset Member Yossi Sarid put it, on contemplating the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis alike in the current intifada:

"We are still trying to count, and to remember them as individuals, but with so many dead, it's hard to keep track. But we're making an effort, because to lose count is to lose one's humanity."

The diary goes on to memorialize 100 Iraqis who have lost their lives, in these instances at the hands of the American military. By all means let us honor the American lives lost, but let's honor the importance of every life, especially those innocently trapped in a situation not of their own making.

Thanks to the wonderful new weblog, Metaphors for Life for the tip.