I was also amazed at some people's reactions... A lot of people I know personally never even mentioned it, and the amount of insensitive jerks on the internet is amazing. I've read a fair few "I don't give a f***"s and the like. Sometimes they'll go on to try and justify it with some kind of retarded logic; but often it's just the generic, selfish, narrow minded "hey, it doesn't affect me" bit. I'll also add that trying to cultivate empathy within, or even explain it to those to whom it doesn't come natural is pretty much impossible. And incredibly frustrating. I heard/read(don't remember where) some news thing call it "the worst thing since Michael Jackson's death" or something very similar. Seriously? Has sensationalism come so far as to put the death of one man, and the deaths of possibly hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children, and the loss of basically an entire country's infrastructure on the same level? I really can't dwell on this kind of stuff too long, or I end up pacing back and forth pulling my hair out. Makes me wanna throw stuff.
Another scary thought, is that some people believe the US government is responsible for the earthquake by testing the H.A.A.R.P. thing up in Alaska. Of course when the government has a machine that in theory can change the weather, create floods, droughts, super hurricanes and tornadoes, and theoretically cause earthquakes... Could we not expect some suspicion. Of course from now on, now that the general public is becoming aware of HAARP, the US will probably get blamed for every natural disaster in the years to come.
Jacmel is the hometown of our governor general. the last report I saw that mentioned her, she didn't have any news about her family. Shows just how strong she is that she was continuing on with her duties without showing just how torn up she must be. Lots of people in Toronto have family there, so we're all doing everything we can. Even the rabbi and my shul told us about an Israeli group that is offering aid that we can donate to. My college managed to organize a benefit concert that will be held next week. And lessa, I hate to say it, but thats the way anti-Israelis and Canadian government are. I once heard a story about an Israeli soldier who picked up a Palistinian kid to get him out of danger. They got shot, and people claimed he was using the kid as a shield. Anyway, this is definitely not the time for that kind of talk. I don't care what motivates someone to do the right thing as long it gets done. I've never heard of the band they got for the concert, but I will definitely at least go to make my donation. Oh, and all Canadians here who use Rogers or Fido, you can use text messaging to donate five dollars. It will automatically be put on your bill and Rogers will take care of the rest.
A friend once said that if humans were capable of feeling the same emotional impact they do with close friends and family and apply it to strangers, they would go insane. Not exact words but the idea is the same. When you think about it, no matter how terrible the Haiti Earthquake was, it pales in comparison to what happens in Africa everyday. Some people have been watching to many SyFy original movies. Though I feel ashamed to admit, one of the first thoughts when I really thought about it was basicly this. I wondered, could it have been possible if man kind had created something that caused this? I guess I entertained the thought on a more of a What If line of thinking.
HAARP isn't the only one of those machines in the world. Russia has one, and has had one since 1983. It also can't cause earthquakes - it can, theoretically, cause sufficient energy levels in the ionosphere to destroy a small region, but that would take precise adjustments and a complete change to the technology. Also, if it was used as a weapon, it would be a weapon of mass destruction. If America used it, its standing in the world would collapse; it would take serious negotiation to stop the Russians playing around with the San Andreas fault. Remember that the person who made that claim is Chavez. He's not a nutter, he's a democratically-elected socialist, regardless of what Limbaugh may think. But he does have an agenda.
Please, let's keep this thread about the established facts of the Haiti disaster, not conspiracy theories.
I can't even begin to imagine my friends and family in that situation. Even strangers is so upsetting, it's an awful awful thought. And Africa...yes. There is so much that could be done to help there, but people just seem to take it as a given that it will never be able to be changed. It makes me sick to think how much the world (me included) has its priorities wrong. Anybody else up for doing something good today? Going out of their way to find something which really will make a difference? x
For right now, political agendas and conspiracy theories serve no useful purpose. People are still being found alive in the rubble and social order must be restored, along with a reliable distribution system for relief supplies and food. After the crisis is over, then discussion should focus on the human contribution to this tragedy. Many people died or were injured in building collapses, buildings that would not collapse in places with appropriate construction codes and practices. Will Haiti rebuild in the same manner or will a responsible government rise from the ashes? These kinds of questions must follow the rescue and social restoration that is currently under way.
I've been looking at all the pictures and the one thing I wish is that they would give the person's name. You know? I see all these captions "Woman treated at hospital in PAP." or "Boy pulled from rubble alive." and I just want to know their names *sigh*
The Daily Mail has the most dramatic pictures. It's a shame about the reporting, or the comments at the bottom...
But do you know that they are real? this is an important question. A lot of pictures get compromised trying to create the most dramatic effect. I saw pictures of people crowded around food distribution trucks trying to get food, and was reminded that they would've acted the same way before the earthquake. Haitians were without food and water for a long time before the earthquake it's very, very sad.
But do you know that they are real? this is an important question. A lot of pictures get compromised trying to create the most dramatic effect. You can deny the authenticity of a picture or two, but you can’t deny the reality of the dramatic effect that the earthquake had. A picture or two is insignificant in the overall scale of things… I don’t think dwelling on the reality of a few snaps is important at all… True too that Haitians had it rough even before the quake. If a country / society cannot take care of itself in good time, what hope in bad times?