Tsunami Aftermath

The grim reports continue to roll in from Asia. At last count, the death toll has reached 119,000, with tens of thousands of lives still in jeaopardy from disease and other effects associated with the aftermath of this disaster. Even more bizarre are the reports that wild animals seemed to have largely escaped the effects of the Tsunami.

Relief agencies are overwhelmed. No one was prepared for what happened: the ocean simply reached out and took hundreds of thousands of lives with no warning. If the same thing had happened in an even more populous area (Hong Kong, Manhattan), the death tolls would have been in the millions.

I guess Jessee Jackson thinks this is a good time to tell the world he thinks Kerry won the election because of the pending vote that will inagurate Bush for another term, but he (and virtually all of his supporters) ought to know full well that his posturing won't make any difference. Especially now.

I wish that the politically infuential would start working together to shape a policy that will bring as much help to the peoples who have been affected by this disaster as is possible, but I'm not sure I see that happening.

Too bad.

More than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than the presidential election, the way we respond to this disaster will define the America of the 21st Century.

If you are interested in giving to the relief efforts, Wade Hodges has posted this link to the Charity Navigator, a web site that can help you to identify legitimate relief agencies.