A World of Disaster

And I'm not just talking about for Sen. Obama in W.VA last night.

For those who didn't read my old blog, I study urban inequality and have worked with non-profit responders to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and with survivors of September 11 in Lower Manhattan.  I don't consider myself a disaster specialist, but I've certainly seen my own small devastating share in this century.  I'm floored by the tragedies that befell our country on 9/11/01 (almost 3,000 killed and hundreds of thousands personally impacted as survivors/witnesses of the attack, or as relatives of the lost) and beginning on August 29, 2005 (when Katrina made landfall and worked its way across the region, followed by almost a week of flooding in the city of New Orleans and months of water removal.  Almost 2,000 dead, half a million temporarily or permanently displaced, and 300,000 homes damaged or destroyed).  But they PALE in comparison to what we're witnessing in China and Burma right now (and these are only 2 natural disasters of countless across the globe this century).

At least 12,000 dead in China, and rescue efforts compromised and delayed because the damage is so unstable.  I think that's roughly the student body here at MIT.  Over 30,000 dead and almost as many missing after a cyclone in Burma, with a government that won't let in international aid.  The town I grew up in had about 35,000 people in it.  Effectively, my hometown and current school have just been destroyed.

MIT's population is probably a quarter to thirty percent Asian, both native- and foreign-born.  After the U.S., more students come from China than any other country.  I received this e-mail from a Chinese colleague here this morning, which I am reprinting with his permission:

"As you may have known, an earthquake just happened in Sichuan, a province in Southwestern China. This earthquake is reported to be the biggest one for inner land in record. By now, 1,2000 death has been reported and this number is still increasing; among the dead, most are workers and students, who were on duty or in class. While the whole China and some international organizations are trying their best to save those lives, who are still under the debris of the crashed buildings, the never-stoped storm, the terrible natural environment and landslides have caused huge troubles for the rescue. The Chinese government tried to land rescue teams from the air, but among the first 120 deloyed, 5 died and 10 missed. The most painful scenes in this desaster is the despair crying of the parents who lost their only child and the helpless look of the children who lost their parents, who treated them like treasure (you will understand it if you know the one-baby policy in China). For them, and for many others, 2008 is their forever pain."

He provided a link to local photo coverage, which begins with images of a seemingly normal day with the horrible devastation following on subsequent pages.  They are really worth a look. 

And just as you're feeling thankful for living in such a safe and secure country, consider for a moment our government's latest blunt atrocities in dealing with our growing immigrant population. 

Per usual, I'm at a loss for how to wrap up such depressing news. If I've thoroughly ruined your day, cheer yourself up by donating to China earthquake victims here, and Burmese children here. 

And if that doesn't shore you up until the next round of global despair and outrage, The Black Snob has amassed an amusing collection of "Extreme" Obama and Clinton kitsch.

Stay safe and aware.

- Redstar