Cases of Sadness
Soon after the hurricane I met a man who makes a living by trading stocks from his home computer. As a business major I was curious. He was on his way out, so I shot him a quick question - What's hot right now?
His answer was only logical, but the delivery seemed off. 'Lumber,' he said with a wry smile, 'They're gonna have to rebuild all those cities.' He was a bit giddy. Only later did I have time to reflect on that quick comment, and be sick.
****
A man recently came into my store looking for water purification tablets to take on a recreational backpacking trip. We were out. The Red Cross had swepped through only the day before and bought our entire stock for the hurricane relief effort.
Checking out, he complained to me, 'Yeah, the Red Cross bought them all, forgot about the rest of the world.' I was stumped for a moment. Would he really begrudge clean water to the victims of the hurricane and the volunteers helping them?
Anything but sympathetic I hinted to him, 'I guess some people need them more than others.' Surely that would snap him back to reality. Then again...
'I guess everyone who buys them needs them,' he shot back before grumbling to his wife that they would have to visit another store.
****
I was talking to a good friend of mine about the political reaction to the hurricane. I was a bit baffled by the tirade that the Mayor of New Orleans unleashed so soon after the storm passed. Surely the combination of responsibility and impotence that he faced could lead to an emotional outburst, but from perspectives of leadership, nationalism, politics it seemed quite foolish.
My friend, a poli-sci major, was quick to point out that this mayor's particular constituent repsonded with great solidarity to the mayor's message. They were behind him. If he has ambitions of governor or congressman our friend the mayor may be out of luck, but if he wants to be elected mayor again he may have just played his ace.
I don't know if all of this was going through the mayor's mind as he cussed his way into the media wheelhouse, but it was a point worth considering. Especially when his major theses were echoed, if more articulately, by political figures throughout the nation, most recently and perhaps notably by Ms. Clinton herself. She's asking for an 'independent inquiry.'
This disaster is being spun, politicized, used for personal gain. I truly believe that those political players who are engaging America in debates about racism and unpreparedness would better serve the people by standing at a Red Cross station and hand out meals until all the refugees are fed. Then get on with your debate.
****
I hope that these instances represent the minority in America. I want to believe that most of my fellow countrymen look with compassion and sympathy upon the Gulf right now, and that they will act accordingly.
His answer was only logical, but the delivery seemed off. 'Lumber,' he said with a wry smile, 'They're gonna have to rebuild all those cities.' He was a bit giddy. Only later did I have time to reflect on that quick comment, and be sick.
****
A man recently came into my store looking for water purification tablets to take on a recreational backpacking trip. We were out. The Red Cross had swepped through only the day before and bought our entire stock for the hurricane relief effort.
Checking out, he complained to me, 'Yeah, the Red Cross bought them all, forgot about the rest of the world.' I was stumped for a moment. Would he really begrudge clean water to the victims of the hurricane and the volunteers helping them?
Anything but sympathetic I hinted to him, 'I guess some people need them more than others.' Surely that would snap him back to reality. Then again...
'I guess everyone who buys them needs them,' he shot back before grumbling to his wife that they would have to visit another store.
****
I was talking to a good friend of mine about the political reaction to the hurricane. I was a bit baffled by the tirade that the Mayor of New Orleans unleashed so soon after the storm passed. Surely the combination of responsibility and impotence that he faced could lead to an emotional outburst, but from perspectives of leadership, nationalism, politics it seemed quite foolish.
My friend, a poli-sci major, was quick to point out that this mayor's particular constituent repsonded with great solidarity to the mayor's message. They were behind him. If he has ambitions of governor or congressman our friend the mayor may be out of luck, but if he wants to be elected mayor again he may have just played his ace.
I don't know if all of this was going through the mayor's mind as he cussed his way into the media wheelhouse, but it was a point worth considering. Especially when his major theses were echoed, if more articulately, by political figures throughout the nation, most recently and perhaps notably by Ms. Clinton herself. She's asking for an 'independent inquiry.'
This disaster is being spun, politicized, used for personal gain. I truly believe that those political players who are engaging America in debates about racism and unpreparedness would better serve the people by standing at a Red Cross station and hand out meals until all the refugees are fed. Then get on with your debate.
****
I hope that these instances represent the minority in America. I want to believe that most of my fellow countrymen look with compassion and sympathy upon the Gulf right now, and that they will act accordingly.
posted by James at 00:09
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