On March 11, 2011 a natural disaster preyed upon an entire nation and destroyed the infrastructure of Japan. As of Sunday, 350,000 Japanese citizens are homeless. 10,000 people are presumed dead as a result of a devastating tsunami that ravaged the country and caused over 100 aftershock earthquakes in just one day. Entire towns are completely obliterated from the landscape. As if that wasn’t enough, the earthquakes compromised the entire world as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was at risk of melting down due to decreased water levels that exposed the plant’s fuel rods.
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The Japanese have stoically and calmly responded to the devastation. There have not been reports of looting, violence, or riots. Without basic necessities and cognizant of the reality that supplies are dangerously insufficient to meet the crushing demand, the Japanese people politely stand in line and wait to get their chance to get into half empty stores. While there have been isolated incidents of looting by a few desperate survivors who are without any food or water, there is an inarguable lack of social disorder in the country. In fact, the Japanese have become the envy of the world in their responsible and humane response in the face of an unyeilding and deadly natural disaster. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110320/wl_asia_afp/japanquakecrime
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We had a natural disaster not too long ago and we did not react with as much fortitude. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans and the media responded before the government. Our country was bombarded with construed and embelished media reports of looting, carjacking, murders, thefts, and rapes. Eventually, the victims were rescued and the government made a less than gallant effort to assist the displaced residents. Conversely, in Japan the response was overwhelming.
The government ensured that school buildings were reinforced for earthquakes because children are more vulnerable to injury. Here, the government neglected New Orleans as was emphasized in the epic failure of the levis in the city.
Our reaction to Katrina and the reaction to the Japanese reflected in one of our talking heads. http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/03/16/rush-limbaugh-scoffs-at-japan-quake-refugees-for-being-responsible/.
In his radio show, this man makes fun of the Japanese resilience and the way school children have been recycling debris. Why would he do this?
I don't know. I do know that we as a nation have become less than humane in recent years. When a political party suggested that people without health care should have an option so they could go to the doctor, overwhelming numbers of Americans rallied against such a humane and progressive idea. When our own citizens were suffering the effects of Katrina, the media contrived the victims as savages in need of martial law. When our President was elected, an entire new political party was borne and became obsessed with falsely claiming he was not a US Citizen.
I don't know what the answer is. I do hope that we can change. If we become more socially responsible and progressive it does not make us socialists or communists. If we begin to care it does not make us weak or vulnerable. It makes us human and responsible and that's a good thing.
In his radio show, this man makes fun of the Japanese resilience and the way school children have been recycling debris. Why would he do this?
I don't know. I do know that we as a nation have become less than humane in recent years. When a political party suggested that people without health care should have an option so they could go to the doctor, overwhelming numbers of Americans rallied against such a humane and progressive idea. When our own citizens were suffering the effects of Katrina, the media contrived the victims as savages in need of martial law. When our President was elected, an entire new political party was borne and became obsessed with falsely claiming he was not a US Citizen.
I don't know what the answer is. I do hope that we can change. If we become more socially responsible and progressive it does not make us socialists or communists. If we begin to care it does not make us weak or vulnerable. It makes us human and responsible and that's a good thing.
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