Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Katrina and the Lowlifes
Again, I'm posting something a day earlier than I normally would, but this is something that needs to be said now.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I've been noticing a very distressing -- even nauseating -- trend in the media. I've seen it in other blogs, and seen reports of it happening in radio, television, and other media.
Some people apprently believe that the proper thing to do in the face of all this misery and suffering is to promote their political agenda.
It's all over the political map. The most frequent case is to use Katrina to criticize or embarrass President Bush, but I've also seen criticisms leveled at Congress in general, individual members of Congress, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, Pat Robertson, Michael Moore, white people in general, and I don't even want to know who else.
Really, people, is it really so important to level criticisms at these people that you can't spend that same energy in doing something actually helpful?
If the whole purpose of your blog, or radio program, or whatever you're producing is to watch and criticize the actions of a partocilar person or group, then you may be excused for this. You have a pre-established context to excuse it. (Not completely -- I've come across a couple of blogs that started to do this, bit have concentrated on the relief efforts instead -- but enough that you don't have to consider my words aimed at you if you don't want to.)
And if you actually have made some contributions -- money to whatever charity, or bottled water (the most desperately needed commodity), or labor, or anything else -- then you've mitigated your offense but you've still offended.
It should be obvious, but as I'm find of saying, that which seems obviously true is rarely both. So I'll point it out and say it clearly.
This is not the time for recriminations and finger-pointing. It's the time to send help to people who are hurting. When things are getting back to normal, and houses are being rebuilt, and businesses have reopened, and the roads and rails are being traveled again, and the whole recovery process is well under way, then go ahead and point fingers and criticize anybody you want as much as you want. At that point you can even post personal attacks against my own lame efforts for all I care.
Right now is the time to do what we can to relieve the suffering, not to create more.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I've been noticing a very distressing -- even nauseating -- trend in the media. I've seen it in other blogs, and seen reports of it happening in radio, television, and other media.
Some people apprently believe that the proper thing to do in the face of all this misery and suffering is to promote their political agenda.
It's all over the political map. The most frequent case is to use Katrina to criticize or embarrass President Bush, but I've also seen criticisms leveled at Congress in general, individual members of Congress, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, Pat Robertson, Michael Moore, white people in general, and I don't even want to know who else.
Really, people, is it really so important to level criticisms at these people that you can't spend that same energy in doing something actually helpful?
If the whole purpose of your blog, or radio program, or whatever you're producing is to watch and criticize the actions of a partocilar person or group, then you may be excused for this. You have a pre-established context to excuse it. (Not completely -- I've come across a couple of blogs that started to do this, bit have concentrated on the relief efforts instead -- but enough that you don't have to consider my words aimed at you if you don't want to.)
And if you actually have made some contributions -- money to whatever charity, or bottled water (the most desperately needed commodity), or labor, or anything else -- then you've mitigated your offense but you've still offended.
It should be obvious, but as I'm find of saying, that which seems obviously true is rarely both. So I'll point it out and say it clearly.
This is not the time for recriminations and finger-pointing. It's the time to send help to people who are hurting. When things are getting back to normal, and houses are being rebuilt, and businesses have reopened, and the roads and rails are being traveled again, and the whole recovery process is well under way, then go ahead and point fingers and criticize anybody you want as much as you want. At that point you can even post personal attacks against my own lame efforts for all I care.
Right now is the time to do what we can to relieve the suffering, not to create more.
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In reference to the preceding (now deleted) post... people, please remember that this is my space, and if you want to say something, do not use heavy profanity. Your post will be deleted. I would rather edit out the profanity and make it sane without deleting your intent, but since I don't have that option here I can't do it.
I am currently volunteering with the Red Cross and the Humane Society. I am also active in the movement to hold the Administration accountable for their failings in this matter.
If we don't demand accountability now, then the ADD American public will forget. I'm doing both -- helping and demanding accountability.
If we don't demand accountability now, then the ADD American public will forget. I'm doing both -- helping and demanding accountability.
myrrander: First, you get big thumbs up from me in the area of your volunteering. I mean really big thumbs up. All I've been able to do so far is provide some links and donate a couple of bucks that weren't doing anything else. Compared to anyone else's legitimate efforts, I frankly feel a bit pathetic.
As for keeping the administration accountable, please do remember to keep it sane -- there's a big difference between "the government should have done more" and "George W. Bush is obviously lazy and doesn't care." (The first is a legitimate call for accountability; the second is a personal attack and political statement, leeching human suffering for political gain.) And as far as I'm concerned if your primary energy is spent toward helping others, then go right on ahead -- you're in the "not so great, but don't worry about it" part of my editorial.
As for keeping the administration accountable, please do remember to keep it sane -- there's a big difference between "the government should have done more" and "George W. Bush is obviously lazy and doesn't care." (The first is a legitimate call for accountability; the second is a personal attack and political statement, leeching human suffering for political gain.) And as far as I'm concerned if your primary energy is spent toward helping others, then go right on ahead -- you're in the "not so great, but don't worry about it" part of my editorial.
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