What is a Human Life Worth? Evidently More than $17!

Here's a headline from today's San Francisco chronicle: "Man in Bay Area for job interview killed for just $17."

The victim was the father of three. He was in the Bay Area for a job interview with google. This slaying was one of a seemingly endless series of tragic crimes that plague America's urban areas. But I have question about how this particular story was handled: why the emphasis on the fact that the perpetrators only got $17?  Would this be any less of tragedy if $5,000 were taken? How about $500? Maybe $100? At what number does someone decide: "that's not a heck of a lot of money to kill someone for"? Do the victims three sons mourn the death of a father over a lousy 17 bucks or is it possible the amount of money does not come into their grieving equation?

This is not an isolated case of one newspaper singling out the robber's tiny haul. I see it all the time and it gets increasingly infuriating.

Is this what we're saying: Folks, if, in the course of a robbery you're going to kill someone, you know, snuff out their earthly existence for ever and ever, make sure you get, oh let's say two grand. Killing someone, you know terminating their life and sending their family and loved ones into paroxysms of grief, for anything less is just plain sick.

By the way, the murder took place In Oakland which has a very high incidence of homicide. Within approximately 24 hours of this crime, a man pulled over by the CHP opened fire on officers. Later in a separate incident a police officer was shot at by a sniper. And across the Bay in San Francisco a man was charged with killing a 17 year old with said teen's own rifle.

Let's all take a moment to thank the NRA for their continuing efforts to defend our second amendment rights. Isn't it great to live in a country in which seemingly half the citizenry are armed to the teeth? Thank you NRA for fighting, at every turn, efforts to introduce any sort of gun control legislation. That's one powerful lobby you've got there. As powerful as a .45 magnum that blows the brains right out of a human being leaving that person's wife an early widow. What I'm trying to say NRA, is f*ck you!