mercredi, novembre 13, 2013

When the darkness falls

When a global disaster occurs, Americans open up their checkbooks, put the cash into the offering plane, and punch the "donate" button on the charitable websites.

We're known for our generosity (disturbingly, I wonder whether that means that some other nations might not be).  Perhaps it's because, even in times of huge economic inequality, we are aware of how much more we have than some other countries.

Ten, twenty, who knows how many years ago, climate scientists predicted that countries like Bangladesh would be hugely affected by bigger storms, rising seas. Well, apparently, that country constructed stronger shelters for its population, thus reducing the terrible toll of the virulent storms.

I don't know if the strongest shelter would have protected Filipinos against the horrors of these winds.

But I do believe that we need to stand with them, with all poor nations, as they attempt to cope with the unnatural fury of a nature that we have had a part in inciting to such terrible passion.