Tragedy On The Shores Of The Indian Ocean
Bene Diction is right. In the face of such unthinkable tragedy, we fall silent. But silence will not help. Those of us who choose to believe in a diety are stunned and troubled. Those who believe that life has meaning are stunned and troubled. Stunned and troubled is what we feel, but the essential question is, "What will we do?"
Rayne notes that we have pledged 15 million to help with one of the greatest natural disasters in history, while we make plans to spend 30 to 40 million (not counting security costs) on George Bush's inauguration. To be fair, all modern presidents spend a lot on their inaugration ceremonies. I imagine this is pretty much in line with the norm.
Still, one wonders what would happen if George Bush were to cancel everything, have instead a simple ceremony in the oval office which could be televised, and at the end, turned to the camera and pledged to send all the money that would have been spent on ceremonies to relief agencies working in the countries around the Indian Ocean.
Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing to do? So simple and so easy. Who needs ceremonies at a time like this anyway? And wouldn't that send a wonderful and needed message to the world?
One is tempted to wish for something like that, but such wishing is also a way of shirking the real question. The real question is, "what will I do?" What will Gordon Atkinson do?
I'm still thinking about that one.
rlp
10:08:01 PM 
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