Has anybody asked himself what business that French party, now partly saved, partly killed by their rescuers, had to be in pirate-infested waters WITH AN EFFING TODDLER ABOARD?

Now we know:Francis Lemacon, the skipper's father, issued a statement paying tribute to his son and thanking the French state and the soldiers "who risked their lives" to rescue the hostages.Yes, and the only good thing about all this is that a dangerous egomaniac, and not one of those soldiers died."We have lost more than a son. We are crushed by grief," he wrote in a statement.Which sets them, of course, apart of all other people who have lost a son."Florent [the victim] and his wife, with Colin [the toddler] on the Tanit [the yacht], chose a lifestyle. In their own way, they fought for their beliefs: in peace, ecology, tolerance and the right to live differently, solidarity and the value of sharing," he said.And in their own way, with all their tolerance, right to live differently, solidarity and value of sharing they might have killed many more people."With his moral sense, a pacifist is dead. With his love for Africa and Africans, a traveller is dead. With his rejection of comfort, of the world of money, a dreamer is dead.

"With his passion for, and knowledge of the ocean, a sailor is dead. With his taste for freedom, a philosopher and musician is dead."And with his ruthless egotism and disregard for other people's (including his own family) safety and lifes, a dangerous moron is dead.

I wish I had something nice to say, but I haven't.

By the way, I am wondering what the media had had to say, had the travelling family and the friendly-fire-prone rescuing party not been French, but American.

Cross-posted at Roncesvalles.