Europe stood still for 3 minutes...

[Haltickling]

.. today at noon, as a silent salute to the victims of the Asian tsunami catastrophe. Radio and TV stations went silent, almost all the traffic in the streets stopped, including buses and trains, shoppers interrupted their shopping, even most pedestrians stopped in their tracks. And the church bells rang.

It was an impressive sign of solidarity with the victims and their loved ones. Here in Germany, we mourn over 1000 dead and missing countrymen, and the UN has adjusted their death toll estimate to over 200,000.

The German parliament granted a total of half a billion € as direct aid to the victimized countries, to be paid over a span of 3-5 years. My hometown Munich took over a partnership with Batticaloa in Sri Lanka, in the spirit of our chancellor's suggestiion that each community on Europe should take direct responsibility of a special region.

 

[venray]

We argue, we whine, we piss and moan over the trivial...and in the blink of an eye 150,000 of us disappear from the face of the earth...

We should all pause for a few minutes and reflect on things that are important in this world....like helping those in need....

Thanks for sharing, Hal...I have shed many a tear watching the story of this great tragedy unfold......🙁

Ray

 

[TKpervert]

The first video feed I saw of this disaster showed a swimming pool getting muddied and some lawn chairs getting pushed around. Big deal I says.

The second feed I saw showed a seawall getting breached and people taking off running. Oh shit I says.

The third feed I saw was a satellite image of an island that was swept clean. Then I knew.

We're all vulnerable against this much power.

Count your blessings and make a donation, however small, so that help will be available for the next one.

 

[TKpervert]

I'll make it easy. Go here and print out a form and ship it off to the Red Cross along with a check. Specify 'Disaster Relief Fund:

https://www.redcross.org/donation/formprint.html

oh yeah, when the form asks for personal stuff, just type in no receipt needed, for disaster relief fund, etc.

the form just needs non-blank in those fields, then it will print.

 

[BigJim]

In the hills of Sri Lanka, Tamil Tiger terrorists/freedom fighters (depending on your POV) down their rifles and assist enemy villagers to clear the wreckage and bury the dead.

In Sumatra, Indonesia and India Hindus and Muslims work together to organise supply chains and make sure food gets through before the soldiers arrive and the trucks carry it properly. Montague and Capulet.



To steal a line from Contact, we truly are at our best when things are at their worst. When something truly important and shattering takes place, we shake ourselves free from the delusion that we're different from the "others" and realise we're all desperately fragile beings clinging to a lump of shit and swinging round a nuclear furnace. Such a shame that it takes a disaster that is to 9/11 what a nuclear bomb is to two fleas having a light-your-fart competition to snap us out of this stupor.

When it comes down to it, we all KNOW what and who we are. It just takes a very loud reminder to make us act like true humans. When people say they can't understand the will of whatever conception for God they may have, consider it that way. 200,000 people gave the gift of their lives so billions living now and trillions yet to be born could realise just how easy it is to be neighbourly. Let us hope we need no further reminders.

 

[red indian]

I am not so sure..........

......about these "silences" they seem to be getting far to frequent, (at least in the UK). To my mind they are properly applied to the dead, who have given their lives in war for their country. Perhaps thats an old fashioned view.

Also, who decided it would be three minutes, as apposed to one minutes silence for the dead of two world wars, the victims of which run in to millions?

The purpose of a "silence" in this kind of context, is surely to encourage people to reflect on tragic events, "lest we forget". I can't see how we are likely to forget an event, which is still unfolding, which is still producing an ever higher body count . So, why have a three minute silence at this very premature stage, when the full picture is, even now, unclear?

If I was an Indoneasian up to my knees in dead bodies, raw sewerage, and nothing to eat or drink, I dont think I would be very impressed with the fact that Europe stood still for three minutes.

 

[Neutron]

Re: I am not so sure..........

......about these "silences" they seems to be getting far to frequent (at least in the UK). To my mind they are properly applied to the dead who have given their lives in war for their country. Perhaps thats an old fashioned view.

Also who decided it would be three minutes as apposed to the minutes silence for the dead of two world wars which runs in to millions?

The purpose of a "silence" in this kind of context is surely to cause one to reflect on tragic events "lest we forget" I cant see how we are likely to forget a tragic event which is still unfolding, which is still bringing an ever higher body count such as the one that occured on Christmas eve. So why have a three minute silence at this very premature stage when the full picture is even now unclear?

If I was an Indoneasian up to my knees in dead bodies, raw sewerage, and nothing to eat or drink, I dont think I would be very impressed with the fact that Europe stood still for three minutes.

Well said.

Tron

 

[venray]

To take a few moments to reflect on a catastrophic event shows respect and also shows the "coming together" of a nation, perhaps the world to render assistance for no other reason than the fact that it is the right thing to do.

I see no disrespect to those who have died in wars, but indeed if we give a moment to those who have died in wars, why can we not mourn the gigantic loss of life without one....?


Ray