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| This picture makes me sad--and not just because the subject is out of focus. Some will say such deaths are inevitable; that's life in the big city for Homo sapiens and Procyon lotor alike. And even though the species' conservation status is Least Concern, try explaining that to this social creature's family. Death itself is not a tragedy but becomes one when it is senseless and/or premature. I wonder what vital errand the driver was on after midnight on a Sunday. I know this is disturbing and not pleasant to look at but that's the point. What driver hasn't run down some critter? Was the trip you were on worth it? I once flattened a cat while grudgingly driving my mother somewhere. She burst into tears but I--callous teen that I was--really didn't care. It was an accident and life meant very little to me. But 23 years later I can still remember the feeling of it going under my wheel. I don't expect this to get people to drive less but I do believe that if pictures of all sides' casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan regularly appeared on front pages and network TV the USA's wars would be over in a week. |
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