Well here's an interesting thing, considering that this is a technical blog.
Last week I wrote a post on how I was offended at CNN's posting of a picture of a white face on their home page when ~20,000 non-whites were dead (>120,000 now, likely 150,000 soon and one third were children). I felt, and still feel, that it was an ethnocentric decision by CNN.
Since, for whatever reason, CNN has posted more sensitive pictures, but not before they did two days of coverage on a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model who survived and a whole story on celebrities affected. Certainly I wasn't the only one who noticed this, and a number of people mentioned it to me, both publically and privately. The Progressive Magazine did an article in the same vein as my post called "NYT says Tsunami Kills White People Too."
A U.S. government site has quote from President Bush about relief aid.
[For example], in the year 2004, our government provided $2.4 billion in food, in cash, in humanitarian relief to cover the disasters for last year. That's $2.4 billion. That's 40 percent of all the relief aid given in the world last year, was provided by the United States government. No, we're a very generous, kindhearted nation.
The interesting things are the $2.4B the government gave this year to humanitarian relief (it doesn't say if it include the Tsunami $350M), and the statement that it was 40% of all relief give in the world. It's good we gave more that any country in the world, considering that our GDP is nearly 11 MILLION MILLION dollars, almost double our nearest competitor, China, and almost greater than the entire rest of the top ten.
The government aid was originally $4M, then $35M on the third day (the same amount pledged by the Pzifer corporation alone) and today was upp'ed the amount of government-pledged aid to $350M. This number will likely change as the death toll rises. This is in comparison to the $13.6 Billion that has been pledged for Florida Hurricane relief. In another comparison, Bill Gates and his wife gave $168M last year to Malaria research alone and another $42M this year.
Anyway, I received this email today in criticism to my earlier post on CNN's ethnocentric news focus.
Shame on you. Americans pay attention to other Americans killed in disasters partly because it hits close to home, and reminds us of how those thousands of people over there feel. America is a very empathetic country.
The Americans have given $350 million dollars to this disaster. How dare anyone criticize them. As for media, anyone with an IQ over 50 knows never to trust the opinions of the media.
For some reason, America is seemingly the most criticized nation as far as it's moral standards and supposed "self-centeredness" goes. However, America gives 40% of the world's disaster relief funds every year. America rushes to help, and immediately orchestrates organizations for rescue and help whenever something goes wrong...
When 9/11 happened, who rushed to their side? Not really anyone, at least no other country in a heroic way. Instead, the Americans themselves took charge, and they didn't give anyone else any grief at all for not giving enough. America isn't perfect, but they do a lot of good for this world.
America has good intentions, and have proven time and time again their selflessness. Anyone who continues to criticize despite this has issues, and needs a reality check.
Either way, is your bitching about the wrong doings of American media helping this situation at all? No, but the American Red Cross is...
You're a flippin' hypocrite- and I'm not even American. Lay off, you come off as an arrogant swine.
[Heather Erickson-Sander]
I was bummed to get such negativity in my inbox so close to the end of the year. This email was so vituperous it triggered my spam filters, and I might not have seen it if I didn't fish it out.
A few things stood out in this response other than "flippin' hypocrite" and "arrogant swine" as I get those all the time. :)
"How dare anyone criticize [The Americans]." Personally, I think that there are few things on this earth that are beyond reasoned criticism. Certainly that's why I posted this critical email on my blog. Like it or not, American is big and worthy of both praise and criticism.
"America has good intentions, and have proven time and time again their selflessness. Anyone who continues to criticize despite this has issues, and needs a reality check." To be clear, I was criticizing CNN's editorial staff, but I can see how a media outlet can be confused as the face of a country.
I post this as the New Year fast approaches, and it's good to end the year on an introspective note. The human condition is overwhelming. Who are we to be blessed so? 150,000 people tragically dead today that weren't on Christmas, and expected to see the New Year themselves. 5 million people homeless today that weren't last week, but I sit here warm in my house. There but for the grace of God go I.
Acute and instant tragedies like this inspire people to give. Hearing that 150,000 died in a short period of time is overwhelming. However, as you enter the new year and plan your giving, remember that nearly
3,000,000 people die of Malaria every year, and
3,000 children every DAY. That's 250,000 people a month and causes 50% of the deaths of African children. Roughly 2% of Africans in Africa have AIDS, but 25% have Malaria each year. Give often and always. Give to those causes that you feel need help, but have a healthy perspective during this difficult time.
In conclusion, I'd like to point you to another useful thing.
India Today has an interesting currency neutral chart that suggests an appropriate level of giving based on your yearly and daily salary. I think it's more than reasonable to expect everyone who is able to give a few days or a week's pay to help assist in the worst natural disaster that, God willing, Insha Allah the likes of which we will never see again.
Give. I'll see you next year. I'll try to dial up the technical content and dial down the editiorials, thanks for your patience.
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