Un-natural disaster.

I make it a policy not to get Karled*. So to play it safe I don't talk about work much if at all. (Safe for people being dressed inappropriately, or showing their asses to staff members.) Today, I would rant but for the fact that I know one or two co-workers may read this. (Passive Aggressively -- Grrrrr.) Seems to blogosphere is full of bad days today. Sending some love your way if you had one.

Today the world felt off kilter, I road to work as we listened to the reports of all those schools collapsing in China and of the Burmese government's resistance to outside aid following a cyclone last week. The Boy naturally wants to know how they are going to get every one out of the rubble. (Good question.) I am wondering why things weren't made more solidly (and what about that great big dam.) Meanwhile the Chinese government, while agreeing that perhaps, yes, they could use a bit of help, but they want to make sure we know that this won't affect the Olympics and all those building are earthquake proof. Good to know. Too bad you didn't do that to your schools. Maybe you should worry about the health and well being of your people first. Just saying. (Tone of my life... don't forget the people.)

Now the situation in Burma strikes me as a bit strange. Ok. A lot strange. Massive cyclone hits, at last report the death toll could reach 215,000 people. But the government is refusing help. Does there not come a point at which we, as a whole say "Ummm.. yeah, you're fucked up. We are going to help whether you like it or not." You just fucking do it.

Yesterday, Google had a button asking me to donate to a charity to help Burma, and then there was a report on CBC about how Canadians aren't being as generous this time around. I know this family hasn't donated towards this. (We made a large, (for us) contribution post Tsunami.) I believe in allowing people to find their way. Now, evidently there is one bad ass dictator in Burma. But I am keep playing questions in my mind... How does the money I contribute actually get to the people in need? In this case, is my donation simply going to end up making this nutbar richer, how do I know that? And if in the end it means relief getting in there, do the ends justify the means? What about contribution to help the Chinese...
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*Fired from gainful employment because of a blog entry.

Comments

[Dagny]

I was talking to my mom about this on my way to work this morning. Because that's always a safe topic with her -- world affairs and all. She pointed out that the dictator in Burma is number two on the list of crazy ass dictators in the world. And that the aid that has been reaching Burma? Going to him and his peeps. Then my mother asked me, "We started a war in Iraq because of what? And this guy is still in power?" And I had to tell her that this is what gets me angry -- so many f'ed up people in the world in positions of power. And it breaks my heart. Because in my heart, I know who we could be as a race. (I use the word "race" in the cultural anthropologist's sense. There is only one race on this planet -- human.) When I read things like what's been happening in Burma, I can't help but think, "So much potential..." How do you explain this to kids who are full of hope and belief in the good of others?

[Selma]

You and Dagny are spot on. How do you explain things like this to the kids? When I said today that the Burmese people aren't getting the help they need because of one nutjob dictator, my son just said - 'So why are we letting him do that to all those people?' Why, indeed. I want to help as many people as I can but refuse to give aid to some lunatic who is drunk with power. At the moment I am feeling a bit helpless about it all. It's just not right.

[sue]

Did Karl pull his blog?? When did this happen? Recently? Wow... I didn't hear about this. Yikes.

[Karl]

Heh, no, I didn't pull my blog. I switched web hosts the other day, so the blog was down for 24 hours. Coincidence? Hmmm.