Thursday, September 1, 2005

Priorities

I have wanted to write something lighthearted, but I do not have it in me. Watching this tragedy unfold, observing scenes reminiscent of snippets of Stephen King's novel The Stand, is simply too overwhelming.

One observation. Much of the time, we have CNBC on as background to whatever we happen to be doing. Yesterday, we were told that one oil pipeline, and possibly two, were restored and ready to begin transporting oil again. This while thousands of people were suffering and dying in the polluted streets of New Orleans. Now we see what our government considers to be the higher priority.

God help us.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know that I would want to be a leader of any kind in these tragedies that have been occuring over the last few years. So many people to please, help, and to accomodate for. Chaos! that is what it all is. I don't know what I would do? Help the ones in crisis? Please the ones complaining about gas? My FIRST choice would be to aid in the devastation and in the rescue, feeding, and housing of these poor people as much as I physically, mentally, and sanely could. That is just the human side of me. But that part of me who is selfish, on the verge of losing our own home, broke, and in need of some relief from the gas prices, well, that is but a small relief to me as well. And that is the conundrum although I am not complaining, just sitting back knowing that this too will pass and Pat and I will be ok somehow, some way. I pray for these people and their safety and hope that this too will pass for them, that they will all be better off somehow in the end, safe, warm, fed...

There are a lot of selfish people in this world, many who could care less about the fate of all of these poor people in New Orleans. I am not one of them. I cannot stomach to watch this tragedy on the television as I take it and internallize and sit on my couch safe and sound feeling immense guilt because I still have a home, warmth, food, water, ammenities, etc. In wanting the gas prices to lower simply so we can afford to get Pat to work everyday, well, that just adds to my guilt as I know that there are more needy people but then again, when we have scraped all of our change together and can't even come up with enough for a gallon of gas, well, then I get physically ill and emotional and wonder where we will be in a week?

As I said, I wouldn't want to be a leader in these times. I would probably have a nervous breakdown.


Anonymous said...

Watching the news is so utterly dishearening right now.  I don't think we often get to see the disparity between rich and poor so vividly as we are right now.  Part of me just wants to bury my head in the sand.  --Albert