I'm guessing that most of us make hundreds of choices every day, maybe more, from how many times to hit the snooze button in the morning to whether it's really a good idea to stay up to watch Colbert. For me, some are as simple as deciding what to say to you nice people every morning. Today, for example, there was a choice between Senator Kerry's interview on MSNBC and Senator Obama's on CNN. I chose neither, because sometimes the choice is very clear and sometimes, there really isn't a choice at all. In the case of Myanmar, the survivors of that devastated country had no choice but to watch as their homes were destroyed and their neighbors and family members perished in the aftermath of the Cyclone Nargis.
Video Credit: AlJazeeraEnglish
And in the case of a compassionate nation, there's no choice but to empathize with their plight and come to their aid. It was no surprise to me who lead the Senate in that effort. I can't imagine he felt he had a choice.
“At this tragic moment, the United States has a responsibility to help the Burmese people and push the junta to allow humanitarian aid to get to the people who need it the most, freely and rapidly. This could be remembered as the moment when the United States and the world came to the aid of the Burmese people and made it clear that while we loathe the junta that has isolated Burma from the world and oppressed its citizens, we find common cause with the people of Burma and we will be there by their side at this difficult time.”
Even before the storm hit, the people of Myanmar (Burma) survived under a repressive government in a sometimes violent struggle for democracy. Senator Kerry has spoken on the topic in the recent past, and has pointed to the need for the US to show our solidarity with the people of Burma.
As Myanmar fights to recover from the effects of Cyclone Nargis, our hopes and prayers are with them. And if the government of Myanmar allows, our country's humanitarian aid as well. Let's hope they make the right choice.
Comments (1)
Posted by Beyond 2012 | May 9, 2008 12:52 PM
Maybe it was HAARP ?