This morning we woke up to more bad news, this time on the local front. And this time, it could possibly have been avoided. Some 70 people injured after a glass stairwell collapsed in a Paceville club.

Currently  fighting for their life are two girls, aged 13 and 15.

Wondering out loud what girls of this age were doing in the wee hours of the night at a club is, perhaps, natural - if a tad insensitive. I myself had that knee-jerk reaction as soon as I read the news reports.

But in their eagerness to point the finger of blame towards someone,  many people seem to be forgetting that it is not the girls that are to blame. On certain online fora and pages - the usual suspects - a worrying trend is gathering strength.

"She shouldn't have been there in the first place."

"It's her fault, why was she in that club at the age?"

How very Christian.

An investigation into the security (or lack thereof) of the sordid mess that has become Paceville is certainly needed. And it's a shame that things had to come to this before the authorities realised they can't turn a blind eye for much longer.

But right now - when the girls struggle for their lives, their only fault being that they wanted a bit of fun on a Saturday night - is not the time to point fingers. 
Right now what is needed is some compassion towards them, their families and loved ones. 

By all means, let us lobby for a thorough investigation into what led to the whole fracas. And let us make sure that those responsible for the probable flouting of a zillion health and safety regulations are made to bear responsibility. 

Let us also bear pressure on authorities to ensure that age limits in the Paceville area are observed. And let us ensure our politicians feel the heat for an incident that is the direct result of the 'mhux xorta' malady that has gripped our country. 

But let's leave these poor teenagers and their  families, out of it. And let's try grow some empathy, in the meantime. The heavens only know what they are going through right now. 

Have we all forgotten what it's like to be 13? At 13 we are invincible, we want to do everything, we want to break the rules, we want to live on the edge. And no amount of rules or parental discipline will curb this joie-de-vivre.

This could have happened to any parent, any daughter, any son. A holier-than-thou attitude is most distasteful and unjustified. If you are one of those perfect people currently holding court online, shame on you. And no, adding a #PrayforMalta doesn't absolve you. It only serves highlight the hypocrisy of this 'Christian' country. 

May everything go well for these girls and their families, and all the other injured people.

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