Coping With Disaster
The worst of times always brings out the best in people. When disaster strikes, people tend to rediscover their inner humanity.
This should be food for thought, as the East Coast begins cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy, one week before a presidential election. The worst of times brings out the best in us all, even if we were just screaming at each other yesterday over some political question.
To put this another way, that fireman or ambulance driver or just Joe Q. Citizen who is saving you and your loved ones is not a Republican fireman or a Democratic ambulance driver. They're human beings -- nothing more, and nothing less.
Both candidates for the White House know this, and we can likely expect a lull in the last-minute campaign frenzy as a result. Will Obama look presidential while surveying the damage? Will it help him politically? Will Romney clarify his statements on FEMA? Will he donate millions to disaster relief in an effort to look good politically? You know what? I don't care.
Now is not the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party. Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their fellow American. Or just "fellow human being." So I'll watch the news tonight to see the destruction, but I'm really not going to pay attention to what the pundits have to say about the state of things, at least not for the next few days.
I wrote about this subject in much greater -- and more personal -- detail, on the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake a few years back. Read the whole article, if you'd like to hear how I came to this realization for myself. In it, I wrote:
The shared experience of living through a major disaster is a unique one. It's not something I would wish on others, but it is absolutely incredible how we all return to our basic humanity in such situations.
I would hope that millions of people are either just coming to, or possibly remembering, this realization on the East Coast today and in the days to come. We're all in this together, and we are all insignificant in scale to the might of Mother Nature. Some times, sadly, the best we can do is pick up the pieces and try to move beyond the disaster. My deepest wishes are for those affected by Sandy, and those whose lives have been forever changed by it. We'll have enough time for politics, later.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Now is not the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party. Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their fellow American. Or just "fellow human being." So I'll watch the news tonight to see the destruction, but I'm really not going to pay attention to what the pundits have to say about the state of things, at least not for the next few days.
I wrote about this subject in much greater -- and more personal -- detail, on the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake a few years back. Read the whole article, if you'd like to hear how I came to this realization for myself. In it, I wrote:
The shared experience of living through a major disaster is a unique one. It's not something I would wish on others, but it is absolutely incredible how we all return to our basic humanity in such situations.
I would hope that millions of people are either just coming to, or possibly remembering, this realization on the East Coast today and in the days to come. We're all in this together, and we are all insignificant in scale to the might of Mother Nature. Some times, sadly, the best we can do is pick up the pieces and try to move beyond the disaster. My deepest wishes are for those affected by Sandy, and those whose lives have been forever changed by it. We'll have enough time for politics, later.
I was all ready to unload on a choice bit of partisan snark....
But this made me pause....
We can forgo partisan bitching and whining and sniping and snarking just a little longer...
Thanx, CW....
Michale.....
Very well said, Chris and Michale.
We can forgo partisan bitching and whining and sniping and snarking just a little longer...
We can, but not everybody can. I note that Michael "Heckuva Job" Brown gave an interview yesterday afternoon criticizing the President for moving too quickly, before the storm made landfall, in doing the "paperwork" that permitted FEMA assets to be positioned. He said that was just playing politics. Heckuva sense of timing, Brownie.
Of course, if it hadn't been done early, it would have been much, much harder to get done effectively. I'm sure he would have waited. After all, if you don't listen to scientists' warnings, there's always a chance you'll get lucky and won't have to do something you don't want to do in the first place. What a putz.
I note that Michael "Heckuva Job" Brown gave an interview yesterday afternoon criticizing the President for moving too quickly, before the storm made landfall, in doing the "paperwork" that permitted FEMA assets to be positioned. He said that was just playing politics. Heckuva sense of timing, Brownie.
Such politicking is not solely limited to the Right, I am constrained to point out.
As I noted in a previous commentary, MSNBC ridiculed Romney for holding food drives and espousing Red Cross service. MSNBC claimed it was all a political stunt...
As you say, here in Weigantia, we are a bit more civilized than the rest of the country... :D
After all, if you don't listen to scientists' warnings, there's always a chance you'll get lucky and won't have to do something you don't want to do in the first place.
"Never make a decision until you absolutely have to."
-Captain James T Kirk, THE ABODE OF LIFE
There is a certain logic in such an approach. Making a decision TOO early, before all the facts are known, could lead to disastrous results.
For example, in this instance, let's postulate that Obama had committed a bunch of assets, spent a bunch of money and the storm petered out into nothing or veered away...
You KNOW that Obama would have been dinged for wasting all that money and would have looked like an ass...
Don't get me wrong. Obama erred on the side of caution and on the side of saving lives and he is to be commended for that. Obama did the right thing, no two ways about it..
But a case CAN be made for taking a wait-and-see approach in general...
The Right will slam Obama no matter what he does. I would have thought ya'all knew that.. :D
That being the case, in THIS particular instance, I don't think any one much cares what the Right says. Nor should they...
Michale....
There is a certain logic in such an approach. Making a decision TOO early, before all the facts are known, could lead to disastrous results.
After re-reading this, it struck me that this can be applied to just about every controversial scientific issue of our time... :D
Michale.....
Thank you, Liz... :D
Michale.....
All politics aside....
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20121030/DA2839L80.html
It's an extremely interesting article about postponing/rescheduling the election...
Michale.....
List of organizations who could use donations ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/hurricane-sandy-how-to-help_n_2022488.html
There's certainly a lot of petty tribalism in political campaigns, on both sides. It's good to give that a rest during times of disaster.
But that's not all that campaigns are. There are real issues at stake too. One of them is whether to de-fund FEMA and leave its functions to local private charities.
http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/31/gingrich-rumor-says-networks-have-white-house-emails-telling-counterterrorism-group-to-stand-down-on-benghazi-rescue/
Looks like Obama is not going to get much of a Sandy Honeymoon..
Benghazi is rearing it's ugly head again...
Rumors are circulating that there are secret emails from the White House to a TAC group that was assembling to rescue Americans in Benghazi..
These emails explicitly tell the TAC Group to "Stand Down. This is NOT a terrorist attack.."
If the rumors are true (we'll know in a couple days) then this sinks Obama's re-election and will eliminate ANY bounce he gets from his Sandy response.
Which, to be honest, is a shame. Obama done did good on Sandy....
Michale....
On the non-politicising, we're all in this together front: fair play to Chris Christie. I am not a fan of his politics but he has handled this whole thing very well and shown himself to be above party/Presidential bashing. Some are saying his reaction has been a deliberate nail in the coffin for Romney and placing himself for 2016 but I don't believe this at all, mainly because I would've reacted exactly the same way as him if the State I was Governor of had been nailed this bad and someone was questioning me trying to make politics out of it...
“Have you seen that new Obama campaign ad that equates voting with sex? It’s kind of clever. It uses innuendo to try and woo young female voters. Like one line says, 'Your first time shouldn't be with just anybody. It should be with a great guy who really understands women.’
But, on the other hand, if it is your first time, you might want to do it with someone who doesn't need eight years to get the job done. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying.”
-Jay Leno
Now, I don't care your politics, THAT was funny!! :D
Michale.....
We're all in this together front: fair play to Chris Christie.
Here, here ...
-David
On the non-politicising, we're all in this together front: fair play to Chris Christie. I am not a fan of his politics but he has handled this whole thing very well and shown himself to be above party/Presidential bashing.
I am very pleasantly surprised at this. Kudos to you.. :D
Michale.....
Interesting historical oddity..
Since US Elections have been standardized in 1845, there have been 6 Presidential Elections that have fallen on 6 November..
Out of those 6 Elections, Republicans have won each and every one...
Nothing to make of it except that it's.... fascinating... :D
Michale.....
Since US Elections have been standardized in 1845, there have been 6 Presidential Elections that have fallen on 6 November..
Out of those 6 Elections, Republicans have won each and every one...
so you're saying that 6 presidential elections on 6th of the month starting in 1848 (a year divisible by 6) were won by republicans? therefore republicans are the devil?
so you're saying that 6 presidential elections on 6th of the month starting in 1848 (a year divisible by 6) were won by republicans? therefore republicans are the devil?
Hay, that works for me!! :D
You ever read Jay Anston's novel, 666???
It's pretty kewl.. :D
Michale.....
Never heard that one.
Here's a compendium from the incomparable Randall Munroe http://xkcd.com/1122/ .
Here's a compendium from the incomparable Randall Munroe http://xkcd.com/1122/
Hahahahah ... Well played, sir.
No candidate with a middle toe larger than their big toe has ever won!
-David
David & LB...
What do you think the reaction from the Left would be if it had been a DEMOCRAT who has won every election that has been held on 6 Nov??? :D
Probably a LOT more pointed than my nonchalant comment... :D
Michale......
What do you think the reaction from the Left would be if it had been a DEMOCRAT who has won every election that has been held on 6 Nov???
You're probably correct that more would have been made of it, but only because the Left, and their media surrogates, love ironic, eclectic, or meaningless crap like that and love even more to write about it. Personally, I would have still posted the xkcd cartoon.
There's a wonderful observation in math called the Strong Law of Small Numbers. Originally published tongue in cheek, it says, in effect, that there aren't enough numbers of comprehensible size to avoid the appearance of order or patterns in math, purely by coincidence.
There's a corollary in human events: elections, disasters, and assassinations all have them.
Am I alone in finding the whole Christie-Obama mutual admiration society a little strange? It went on today, with the Governor's status conference call email teasing a "special guest," which turned out to be the President. And then, again, the guys both rave about how great the other has been in handling the whole unpleasantness.
Yesterday, I could see. Today, however, it just seems weird. I can think of at least three possible conspiracy theory scenarios, all of which involve a very chubby rat leaving a ship determined to be heading for the rocks. But so can all of you. Strong Law of Small Number of Moving Parts at work.
Yesterday, I could see. Today, however, it just seems weird. I can think of at least three possible conspiracy theory scenarios, all of which involve a very chubby rat leaving a ship determined to be heading for the rocks. But so can all of you. Strong Law of Small Number of Moving Parts at work.
Considering all the momentum is still with Romney, I don't see that as a possibility..
It's more likely that Christie is a nice guy and is offering an honorable finish to Obama's presidency...
Michale.....
It's more likely that Christie is a nice guy and is offering an honorable finish to Obama's presidency...
Considering Benghazi, I think it's a futile effort, but I give Christie high marks for being the bigger man...
Er.... No pun intended... :D
Michale.....
Might want to check the pipes, CW...
I just had two comments whisked away to NNL...
Michale
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/11/were-going-to-die-staten-island-residents-plead-for-help-3-days-after-sandy/
Obama's Katrina....
Michale.....
The Wall Street Journal and NYT articles today re: Benghazi are beginning to give me a little understanding of what went down there: CIA involvement likely interdicting the information and response flow for their own reasons.
Obama's Katrina.... Oh, please, Michale. The fact that parts of Staten Island are in bad shape is undeniable. Did you watch the whole video? The pain isn't due to incompetent response; it's due to the fact that the waves at the harbor entrance were over 32 feet, the surge on tide at the Battery was above 14 feet, and the areas being filmed, as can be observed, were only a couple feet above sea level.
If you want to address a real travesty, how about the fact that ING is unwavering in its insistence that the NY Marathon will go as scheduled?
Oh, sorry. I see now that Hannity is calling this storm "Obama's Katrina." So everyone can ignore my discussion above, since I try to never discuss any Fox nonsense out of principle.
Just announced: Marathon canceled. Good for them.
Obama's Katrina.... Oh, please, Michale.
And I am sure there were bright spots in Katrina as well..
Incompetence is incompetence...
You seem to think it's a malady only suffered by the Right..
You are in error...
Michale.....
Incompetence is incompetence...
That's true, but the term "Katrina," like the term "Waterloo," has come to mean a systemic failure to grasp the impact of an event. That's not happening here, at the local, state, or national level.
You seem to think it's a malady only suffered by the Right..Manifestly untrue; both in terms of fact and in terms of my general opinion. In this circumstance, though, it is competence which is spanning the politicial spectrum.
BTW, power just came on in areas below 14th St. This caused the power to blow as far away as Princeton, NJ, for a few minutes, as ConEd evidently forgot to tell the neighbors the load on the grid was going to spike. So, no, not everything is ever storybook smooth.
That's true, but the term "Katrina," like the term "Waterloo," has come to mean a systemic failure to grasp the impact of an event. That's not happening here, at the local, state, or national level.
Really???
Drivers Waiting 6 Hours For Gas in NYC...
Tempers Rise in Wake of Storm...
'Finding bodies left and right'...
Restaurant, hotel prices skyrocket...
CHUCK SCHUMER CONFRONTED: 'We Are Gonna Die!'
CRAIGSLIST: $15 a gallon...
Utility workers pelted with eggs...
Misery...
'We have nothing'...
Residents Furious RED CROSS Offering Cookies & Hot Chocolate, Not Blankets Or Clothes...
Jet Fuel Supply Fast Becoming Concern At Airports...
Staten Islanders Plead for Help: 'We Need Food'...
'Please don't leave us'...
VIDEO: Stranded New Yorkers Defecating in Apartment Buildings...
DIRE...
NJ counties enact 70s style gas rationing... Developing...
What planet are you on???
So, no, not everything is ever storybook smooth.
That's the understatement of the decade.. :D
Michale.....