Who are the helpless?

Would you believe that it's been four years since I deigned to sign into this blog and pen any thoughts? It's not that I haven't had moments where I have stopped in an outrageously opinionated moment and thought - I should really start blogging again. Those moments, as often as they occur, have not actually inspired me enough to start writing again. At least not for myself. I write for camp and some days...most days - that's harrowing enough to come up with topics and engaging thoughts.

It's also left a gapping hole because my soap boxes don't get exercised enough - save for foolish moments when I start a political conversation with Jim. I think my mum wishes she could stick her head in a hole when we get going. Ninety percent of the discussions remain civil - not too bad, if you ask me. I can't imagine what kind of family splits happen south of the border with Trump in power. There you're not just talking about legalizing weed or which came first the NDP or economic recession - there you're talking about world changing politics. It's like being front row to a demolition derby and the world is made up of all of the wrecked cars.

You wonder what moment actually spurred on this post? The thing that actually got me looking up my sign in and password?
South Asia.
Flooding in Houston.
The Media and how it controls what we know.
The permission we GIVE the media to control what we know.
Us. How we drive the flow of information.


I was having a conversation with my parents nearly a week ago about the Houston floods. We got talking about the crazy pictures of the floods in Houston. The International Airport where you can only see the tips of the tops of some of the airplane tails. Totally crazy. I wouldn't be able to imagine what it would be like to be in Houston if Calgary and High River hadn't have had their 2013 floods. I got home that night to see that one of my friends had reposted a Buzz Feed of the South Asia floods.

South Asia Floods?

How have I not heard about this? I read a lot - I don't actually watch news on TV but I pay attention. Admittedly though - Facebook dictates the majority of the news I learn about. Which is the first problem I identified four days ago. I have allowed myself to get my information from faulty sources. It would be like using Wikipedia as a citing source in university.

It's real easy to get taken by what Facebook is feeding you. Real Easy. We laugh about Trump's Fake News but Facebook is feeding you nearly the same thing but allowing US to be the movers of it. We shovel on information like it's a hot potato without stopping to see if it's actually a Yam, Sweet Potato, or if it's actually even hot. We're just making assumptions because the person or persons ahead of us acted like it was hot. So we're allowing ourselves to be sucked into this elaborate game that is just feeding misinformation.

Houston needs help. Yes. There are vulnerable people and animals in need, who require immediate help. Absolutely. Primary services need to be attended to.

Does South Asia deserve less?

Now, now. Sit down. I understand that thousands and thousands of Americans flocking to help Houston. I am very happy to hear of the businesses and corporations that are helping in Texas. I will pray for Texas long after the flood waters recede because that's when the real work starts. I know this from having friends who had homes and businesses in High River that had been hit.

I just can't seem to reconcile how in our great wealth - the very fact that a disaster can happen to North Americans and clean water, dry land, shelter, food, warmth, and HELP can come and yet we are blind to the greater need.

I've tried to write down some kind of example that shows the gross contrast between what we go through when there's a disaster and when disaster hits a third world country.

I get a few sentences in and it becomes ridiculous. It all starts with how we still have the ability to CALL someone for help. Videos of hundreds, if not thousands of people are driving from other states to help victims in Texas. I think that's wonderful to see. I just keep coming back to...

What about South Asia? Where does their help come from? When Houston, ONE SINGLE CITY has been cleaned up and rebuild and the millionaires have gone back to their jobs and torn down their mansions and rebuild new ones because of some water stains - who gives a new home (shack) to those millions of people in South Asia. Who gives them their basic needs - water, food, shelter? Who cleans up and rebuilds their COUNTRIES (India, Bangladesh, Nepal)?

I have no answers. I'm beyond frustrated right now because I barely know what to do. So to ease my frustration - I googled it. I just googled how to help South Asia Victims. And you know what I found? A way to help. So Google Oxfam, Save the Children, Red Cross, or Unicef and donate. Or go - if God has given you the ability. Go and be aid for people who have no hope, and no chance of relief on the horizon.

.: cort :.