Book of Condolences?

A book of condolences will be opened at the Mansion House, Dawson Street at lunchtime today to allow people to register their sympathy for the victims of the school siege in Beslan.

Whose benefit are books like this really for though?
How do we think it would benefit the families who have suffered and are suffering? Do you think that if you had a child taken from you in such a callous and cowardly act of violence that it would "console" you to know there were people tucked up safely in a democracy somewhere who were "sorry for your trouble"!?
Or is a Book of Condolences about us feeling better about ourselves because we've said "we feel sorry for you"?

Don't see any point whatsoever to this myself.

Maybe if was something happened in Ireland but the people in the Caususes know as little about us as we do about them...

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Originally Posted by Peadar

Or is a Book of Condolences about us feeling better about ourselves because we've said "we feel sorry for you"?

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That's exactly it I'd say.
Events like Belsan make people feel completely useless, A book of condolences allows people to feel they're doing something, however little it may be.

takes away our guilt for doing damn all ourselves to move our government to actually do something of value on the international stage.

with all the children who died its on a par with 9/11, even if it is as one person said "only russia"...if it was america our country would shut down again for a day.

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Originally Posted by davros

what about the damage our species has done to the planet :eek:

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You should apply to open a Book of Condolences to Mother Nature.

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Originally Posted by davros

A tiny gesture of humanity,but ultimately futile..........from a largely f*cked-up species......forget about our justification,to each other.....what about the damage our species has done to the planet :eek:

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is exploding bombs etc not bad for the environment as well :rolleyes:

decommission the weapons as part of the recycling push ;)

I assume this book of condolences is more for Russians living in Ireland than actual Irish people.

Utterly pointless exercise though, can't imagine it's any comfort to the families of the victims.