« Assumption Of Risk And The Nanny State | Main | How Much Speech? »
December 30, 2004
Disaster Relief
I have taken my time writing about disaster relief for a variety reasons, some of which I won't go into here. VC is a very new blog and we're not getting thousands of visitors a day. It seemed to me that the larger blogs were covering this very well. But this wasn't my primary reason.
When a disaster of this magnitude occurs, it takes a while for the pieces to fall into place. There's a bewildering array of groups out there: it's hard to know where to send your money. Where will it do the most good?
My rule in such situations has always been to trust the people I know and the people closest to the situation. This formula has never led me wrong.
And so with that in mind I would like to ask each of you (if you have not already done so) to take a moment and look around at all the things we've been blessed with this Christmas season.
Imagine, for a moment, how horrible it would be if all of that were wiped away in an instant: not just our possessions, but familiar landmarks, buildings, trees, the faces of people we love, our whole comfortable world literally turned upside down with no warning and no explanation.
It's easy to sit back and say "other people will give, what difference will my $5 or $25 or $150 make?", and that's true, but the scale of human misery half a world away is so vast right now that every tiny bit we can offer, multiplied by the hundreds and thousands of donations that the Internet can bring to bear against this horrible tragedy has a rippling effect that you truly cannot imagine.
A few suggestions:
Scott Ott has information on how you can contribute via Christian disaster relief agencies. He has personal experience with some of these groups, having worked with one of them after the Oklahoma City bombing. His recommendation carries a lot of weight with me. h/t Pile On.
The ever-helpful JW also sent me this from Arthur C. Clarke, the science fiction author, who lives in Sri Lanka and thankfully survived the tsunami:
We are encouraging concerned friends to contribute to the relief efforts launched by various national and international organisations. If you wish to join these efforts, I can recommend two options:
- Contribute to a Sri Lanka disaster relief fund launched by an internationally operating humanitarian charity, such as Care* or Oxfam*
- Alternatively, considering supporting Sarvodaya, the largest development charity in Sri Lanka, which has a 45-year track record in reaching out and helping the poorest of the poor. Sarvodaya has mounted a well organised, countrywide relief effort using their countrywide network of offices and volunteers who work in all parts of the country, well above ethnic and other divisions.
Here are the direct links for Sarvodaya:
In a way, it's like Chaos theory - a butterfly's wings beating on this side of the world can start a mighty wind half a world away: your small $10 donation may save a human life.
Or you could go buy a six-pack of beer at 7-11.
We are the richest nation in the world. Please consider helping, if you haven't already.
And thank you for reading this far. I now yield the soapbox :)
Update: The BushReich announces another phony, trumped-up, so-called coalition of the bribed, the coerced, the bought and the extorted.
Former Presidential candidate John Kerry responded in one of his first press conferences since the election was stolen from him he was defeated in Ohio:
"What I do regret is that this administration has not lived up to the example of generosity set forth by countries such as France and Germany," Kerry told The Des Moines Register. "The president's leadership has been completely lacking."
"Using Asian nations who are eager and able to assist instead of promising the aid of nations who have repeatedly refused to help (as I did with the Iraq coalition) is clearly arbitrary and flies in the face of building the type of coalition we need,", the Senator stated.
Posted by Cassandra at December 30, 2004 07:22 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.villainouscompany.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/122
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Disaster Relief:
» Tsunamai Relief from Marine Corps Moms
The United States acted swiftly after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Dec. 26 off the coast of Indonesia causing tsunami waves that have affected 12 countries. In addition to pledging $350 million which is the entire U.S. foreign disaster... [Read More]
Tracked on January 2, 2005 02:45 PM
Comments
A law school professor once told me that lawyers were frustrated doctors who couldn't stand the sight of blood. I still believe that. So, inkeeping with that spirit, may I now recommend Doctor's Without Borders as a means to assuage your feelings of helplessness? My family and I are long-time contributors to this international humanitarian mission. It's about healing, people. Doctors and nurses in the field and often under fire caring for those who cannot care for themselves. You folks know me well enough to trust that I checked 'em out thoroughly before planting a big fat kiss on their lips, so I believe my recommendation is both hard earned and well deserved. Here's a recent story of their good works in Banda Aceh, one of the hardest hit areas. Their website is getting mobbed at the moment, but I encourage you to keep trying.
Thanks.
Posted by: spd rdr at December 30, 2004 09:54 AM
Another good suggestion.
Thanks :)
Posted by: Cassandra at December 30, 2004 10:36 AM
Heh. The firm is matching contributions to Doctors Without Borders.
They are going to LOVE me.
Posted by: spd rdr at December 30, 2004 04:23 PM
And I was so hoping not to hear from Kerry again. Surely he could open his fat wallet and pull out a couple bills to donate to charity. Oh, wait . . . Teresa controls the purse string and last we heard, they gave very, very little to charity. Maybe he should be working on plucking that beam out of his eye first.
Posted by: Lola Lee at December 31, 2004 08:59 AM
I have a feeling we'll be hearing from the Senator again. His lawyers have been very busy in the background - I'm surprised the press have been so quiet about all their post-election activities (but after their sleazy move on the Swift Vets, I guess nothing should surprise me anymore).
Posted by: Cassandra at December 31, 2004 10:36 AM
Cassandra -
Great satire on Kerry. He would have said that, except for the "like I did" part.
That was satire, wasn't it?
Scott Ott will be so disappointed.
Posted by: Rick at December 31, 2004 03:15 PM
What can I say? I'm a stinker.
I'm still in Kerry withdrawal from November 2nd.
Posted by: Cassandra at December 31, 2004 04:29 PM