Virginia Tech versus bomb blasts in Iraq - compare and contrast

My window out to the world in my study is usually covered by a green curtain to shield my eyes from the direct sunlight so I might see the computer screen better, my other window to the outside world through which I can see further afield. One of my favourite exam questions is the compare and contrast style. From here I can see both America, the shootings in Virginia Tech in particular, and Iraq, the suicide bombings in Baghdad.

Cho Seung-hui was a sad, angry, bitter and twisted young man who was full of hate. It's a bit like a Steve Martin film where we are watching the action upfront and in the background something else is happening. Some films are like that where you have to watch them several times to see what you have missed first time around. With Cho Seung-hui all the warnings signs were there, but it is only with hindsight that the whole picture becomes clear. The gun shop owner is interested in selling more guns so his solution is for all the students on campus to own concealed weapons. I have visions of a fight breaking out in a classroom and before you know it turns into another Gunfight at the OK Coral.

In American occupied Iraq, more than 4 times as many people were killed on the same day. Here it was not a lone suicidal gunman, but several suicide bombers. The end result was the same. Dead bodies. The bodybag count was higher. And yet, the Virginia Tech massacre dominated the world's media. Without putting to finer point on it, to my mind it didn't appear to add up so I posted this headline to accompany the article. Then this morning I found this cartoon. The Guardian also picked up on this theme here, here, and a different perspective here. Why does America want to surge forward like a Hummer careering down a steep hill with brake failure?

I couldn't help but notice as the police attended the Virginia Tech shooting that there was a flurry of snow across the pond. Here we were going through something of a heatwave. As I took Rocky for his walk in the park, Spring leaves and buds opening on the trees and flowers blossoming and blooming, and birds chirping in song. It was all so peaceful away from my computer...