You can read about the incident in the Orlando Sentinel:
SeaWorld Trainer is Killed in Killer Whale Attack
My take on this has nothing to do with the actual incident, but instead the way that many Catholic bloggers have treated this. A lot of bloggers have decided to take the time to blog, tweet, or post about this. Which is fine, but in doing so they have done it in a flippant and somewhat disrespectful way. They point out that they "are called Killer Whales for a reason."
I understand their point, I think we all do. Yet isn't there still some bit of honor we owe this woman? Yes I know her job may be 'foolish' to some, but she viewed it as her dream job. Also, how many of us have EVER been to an aquarium, zoo, or SeaWorld? If we have, then we don't REALLY think these people are foolish AND pointless do we? In fact, we are glad they exist.
So why are we as Catholics not honoring this woman? It would be one thing if a blogger chose NOT to post about this incident. That is fine, a Catholic blogger does not have an obligation to POST about every death that occurs and makes the front page of the news. Yet, when a Catholic blogger CHOOSES to post about something, they have then taken on the responsibility to practice the virtues of the FAITH in their post.
It is always hard to criticize other Catholics. I think one should only criticize ACTIONS and not the person themself. So, I am not trying to be "Holier than thou..." I am only trying to say that, it is important that as Catholic bloggers we are careful when we choose to blog about things. Although the internet allows a degree of distance to remain between "information and people" it does not mean that the issues and incidents which we post about don't have implications beyond the words on the screen. Most things that posts talk about are about real people and real events. We need to honor those people, and in situations like this honor the dead.
May Dawn Brancheau Requiescat in pace.
-Posted by: Joe
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