When politics trump human suffering
Don't get me wrong. I generally will side with environmentalists when they talk about global warming. But today, as New Orleans is evacuated and the Gulf Coast region devastated, seems to be a amazingly boneheaded time to print an opinion piece "reminding" everyone that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Republican, help derail Kyoto. Robert F. Kennedy Jr normally has a good head on his shoulders, but this time he's lost touch with reality in his fervor to protect the environment. For they that sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind
In times of great crisis, any truly humane person would lay down the partisan squabbles while bodies continue to turn up on shores and communities are torn asunder. Yet, people on RFK Jr's post said things like, "Bravo to you for all your work. I admire all you do, and just bought your latest book. My biggest problem is that I feel like giving up and moving to...where? They want to ruin the whole damn world! And for what? These religious fanatics must realize they can't take it with them! Do you have any hope? Because mine is dwindling fast. Thank you for everything!"
In the heat of politics, we must never forget that politics exist to serve a democratic people; and when the people suffer, the politics must step forward to serve them in the here and now.
In times of great crisis, any truly humane person would lay down the partisan squabbles while bodies continue to turn up on shores and communities are torn asunder. Yet, people on RFK Jr's post said things like, "Bravo to you for all your work. I admire all you do, and just bought your latest book. My biggest problem is that I feel like giving up and moving to...where? They want to ruin the whole damn world! And for what? These religious fanatics must realize they can't take it with them! Do you have any hope? Because mine is dwindling fast. Thank you for everything!"
In the heat of politics, we must never forget that politics exist to serve a democratic people; and when the people suffer, the politics must step forward to serve them in the here and now.
posted by The Oracles @ 11:40 AM
1 Comments:
At 12:55 PM,
Wang said…
I think it was more trying to make some dark ironic joke than turning suffering into politics.
Republicans don't want to jump on the science bandwagon. Our energy policy for the past five years is pretty clear on that. They say they want clear cut facts and indisputable scientific proof. I would agree, don't jump into something until you know what's going on, make sure science didn't overlook something that is going to cost us billions and not do anything. Like Kyoto. Kyoto needs to be fixed, big time.
Although I would agree with holding off, the Bush-ies don't want to do that, lack of hard scientific proof is an excuse not to do it, they haven't pushed any way of getting the proof nor are they willing to work in that direction. That's the sad part.
Democrats are so beaten down that they jump at every nibble that comes to them. oh sure, there may be a report saying that our pollution causes big hurricanes or something. That's all from one study, I wouldn't be so quick as Robert Kennedy is on jumping onto it as a defense for pursuing something.
But in the end, we MUST pursue it, we must be progressive. What are we doing now? GOod question, I don't think anybody knows. We are just sitting here waiting for somebody to hold our hand, until then we will serve everybody and their grandmothers' special interests.
That is ironic though, that Pat Robertson wished a hurricane on sinners (bible says we are all sinners Pat), and Katarina went straight for Mississippi.
It's almost as much of a bundle of laughs as when Limbaugh called the hurricane Katrina Vanden Heuvel. Some people are such jerks.
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