I do care

[frualeydis]

If I don't write anything about the disaster in New Orleans it's not because I don't care, but because I'm trying to block it away from my thoughts because I just can't handle it right now. I'm too tired. And I don't want to think about people's behaviour. After the tsunami everybody was amazed at the willingness to help, the grace and the courage from the people in Thailand and Sri Lanka, who were poor form the beginning and who had lost everything. I can't help wondering what it is that makes people in New Orleans act so differently.
But as said, I don't want to think about it, I want to think happy thoughts about sewing.

Comments

[eldawen345.livejournal.com]

my thoughts exactly. I can't even begin to process it all right now.

[sarahbellem.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to distract myself as well with sewing. It's not totally working. I'm still watching the news and listening to the radio reports, so it's being absorbed regardless.

I think what you're seeing in New Orleans is due to several uniquely American faults and factors that all collided. The difference between the Sri Lankans and Thai reaction to the Tsunami and the New Orleans reaction to the hurricane has to do with there being a very obvious class division in America that doesn't exist to such a great extent in the parts of Asia that were affected similarly. The "haves" were able to make it out of New Orleans in time. They have the resources to relocate and rebuild. The "have nots" wanted to leave, but there was no large scale evacuation plan for them, so they were forced to stay. That's just the surface problem... It goes deeper when you consider that in such a widely divided class culture as what exists in New Orleans, the poorest of the poor can see that they're being treated differently, badly, compared to the rest of their society. In Southern Asia there is almost universal poverty, everyone is more or less the same (there are exceptions, of course... There always are, but just not on such a massive scale as here in the States). The people in NOLA are not blind to their place in society and I think the reaction you're seeing now is an expression of their anger at their mistreatment. Not just mistreatment right now, but generations of mistreatment that extends back to the very begining of our nation.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Race, class, government mismanagement... I mean, it goes on and on and on. I can't even begin to describe it right now.

[sismith42.livejournal.com]

Happy sewing, and I hope you get the rest your need.

US - disaster

[(Anonymous)]

Hallo,
I also just don't have enought wors about theese problems. But I believe - the kye is that traditional society with its traditional values of humanity and help for free.
Actualy, there are still some places in the world were people are different. I have been in London - Londeners are very kind people. Possibly, the same would not happen there.
Here, in Moscow, we have had a blackout. No robbery, no crime - everything was the same as usual. However, everything was fixed within hours.
I believe, that US already face fast and unpleasant changes. We live in a free world - if the values of society are too cruel for you, why don't you just move to another country?

Regrets,
Yury

Re: US - disaster

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

I happily live in Sweden, but I care about people from other places too.

Eva